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Rapunzel
Surely among the most original and gifted of children's book illustrators, Paul O. Zelinsky has once again with unmatched emotional authority, control of space, and narrativecapability brought forth a unique vision for an age-old tale. Few artists at work today can touch the level at which his paintings tell a story and exert their hold.Zelinsky's retelling of Rapunzel reaches back beyond the Grimms to a late-seventeenth-century French tale by Mlle. la Force, who based hers on the Neapolitan tale Petrosinella in a collection popular at the time. The artist understands the story's fundamentals to be about possessiveness, confinement, and separation, rather than about punishment and deprivation. Thus the tower the sorceress gives Rapunzel here is not a desolate, barren structure of denial but one of esoteric beauty on the outside and physical luxury within. And the world the artist creates through the elements in his paintings the palette, control of light, landscape, characters, architecture,interiors, costumes speaks to us not of an ugly witch who cruelly imprisons a beautiful young girl, but of a mother figure who powerfully resists her child's inevitable growth, and of a young woman and man who must struggle in the wilderness for the self-reliance that is the true beginningof their adulthood.
As ever, and yet always somehow in newly arresting fashion, Paul O. Zelinsky's work thrillingly shows us the events of the story while guiding us beyond them to the truths that have made it endure.
As ever, and yet always somehow in newly arresting fashion, Paul O. Zelinsky's work thrillingly shows us the events of the story while guiding us beyond them to the truths that have made it endure.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
54 people are currently reading
4799 people want to read
About the author
Paul O. Zelinsky
75 books88 followersBorn 1953
Paul O. Zelinsky grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, the son of a mathematics professor and a medical illustrator. He drew compulsively from an early age, but did not know until college that this would be his career. As a Sophomore in Yale College he enrolled in a course on the history and practice of the picture book, co-taught by an English professor and Maurice Sendak. This experience inspired Paul to point himself in the direction of children's books. His first book appeared in 1978, since which time he has become recognized as one of the most inventive and critically successful artists in the field.
He now lives with his wife in Brooklyn, New York. They have two grown daughters.
Among many other awards and prizes, he received the 1998 Caldecott Medal for his illustrated retelling of Rapunzel, as well as Caldecott Honors for three of his books: Hansel and Gretel (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), and Swamp Angel (1995).
(Source: http://paulozelinsky.com
Paul O. Zelinsky grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, the son of a mathematics professor and a medical illustrator. He drew compulsively from an early age, but did not know until college that this would be his career. As a Sophomore in Yale College he enrolled in a course on the history and practice of the picture book, co-taught by an English professor and Maurice Sendak. This experience inspired Paul to point himself in the direction of children's books. His first book appeared in 1978, since which time he has become recognized as one of the most inventive and critically successful artists in the field.
He now lives with his wife in Brooklyn, New York. They have two grown daughters.
Among many other awards and prizes, he received the 1998 Caldecott Medal for his illustrated retelling of Rapunzel, as well as Caldecott Honors for three of his books: Hansel and Gretel (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), and Swamp Angel (1995).
(Source: http://paulozelinsky.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,334 reviews
May 11, 2019
Paul uses the Italian Renaissance style of painting for the illustrations. It’s lovely and it has a very unique feel to it. The original story of Rapunzel originates from Italy in a tale called ‘Petrosinella’ or parsley. He melds this with pieces of Grimm’s tale for a story from his pen. Rapunzel is taken to a tower at 12. It basically serves as a chastity belt. The thing is, there is no education so when the girl meets a man the first time, nature takes its course and she gets pregnant. How would she know. She never saw a man before.
When she is pregnant, the witch(who is a fairy in this story and lets me honest, fairies would not care if you were having sex, so they should change that.) throws her out. The prince is fooled and he falls out of the tower and goes blind from it and wanders in the wilderness until he stumbles across Rapunzel and they find each other. His eyes are healed with her tears and they live happily ever after. There were 2 children, so either she had twins, or she meet another stranger in the wilderness.
The message seems to be something about virtue or overcoming silly beliefs. I don’t know why, but I have always loved this fairy tale. I haven’t heard this one before and I like it.
The niece gave this 4 stars. She loved her hair and the dress and the artwork. We like to watch this cartoon together. The nephew said the movie was way more exciting and he wanted to know why her hair wasn’t magic. He gave this 3 stars.
This version is worth checking out, but it does bring up sex, so be prepared for questions.
When she is pregnant, the witch(who is a fairy in this story and lets me honest, fairies would not care if you were having sex, so they should change that.) throws her out. The prince is fooled and he falls out of the tower and goes blind from it and wanders in the wilderness until he stumbles across Rapunzel and they find each other. His eyes are healed with her tears and they live happily ever after. There were 2 children, so either she had twins, or she meet another stranger in the wilderness.
The message seems to be something about virtue or overcoming silly beliefs. I don’t know why, but I have always loved this fairy tale. I haven’t heard this one before and I like it.
The niece gave this 4 stars. She loved her hair and the dress and the artwork. We like to watch this cartoon together. The nephew said the movie was way more exciting and he wanted to know why her hair wasn’t magic. He gave this 3 stars.
This version is worth checking out, but it does bring up sex, so be prepared for questions.
October 11, 2020
The folktale (fairy tale) of Rapunzel is more often than not (and even amongst a goodly number academics, it seems) considered to primarily be of German origin (collected by the Brothers Grimm and included in their famous Kinder- und Hausmärchen). However, as Paul O. Zelinsky brilliantly demonstrates in and with his informative afterword on the genesis and development of the former, this assumption is only partially correct (including Rapunzel's designation as a true and absolute folktale, as it seems to be primarily based on extant literary sources and not so much oral traditions). True, most modern retellings of the Rapunzel theme are primarily and heavily based on the Brothers Grimm, but Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm's own version is actually gleaned from a loose German translation of an older French offering, which in turn, is heavily influenced by Gianbattista Basile's Petrosinella (a Neapolitan Baroque fairy tale of the 17th century, where the expectant mother craves her sorceress neighbour's parsley, instead of Rapunzel, or rampion, as the herb is called in English). In the late 18th century, a French translation of Basile's Petrosinella (titled Persinette) was then translated into German by one Joachim Christoph Friedrich Schulz (who actually not simply translated the tale, but freely adapted it, adding for example the referrals to the girl's tight clothing to indicate her pregnancy and changing the herb from parsley to rampion, to Rapunzel).
The Brothers Grimm were aware of Schulz's translation, and their own Rapunzel is heavily based on his tale (basically, just as Schulz freely adapted the 18th century French translation/adaptation of Basile's Petrosinella tale to suit his needs, the Grimms in turn, adapted Schulz' narrative to suit theirs). Now one might wonder why the Grimms chose to include a tale that was so obviously literary in their collection of what they primarily considered orally developed and through the centuries repeatedly recounted and re-recounted folktales, but the brothers actually and wrongfully assumed that Schulz' tale was in fact taken from, was gleaned from and based on an earlier oral version (they did notice the similarity to Basile's Petrosinella but did not take the next logical step, namely that Schulz's translation was in fact based on the same, and was not simply a rendering of an earlier orally recounted, orally passed on folktale).
Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm much shortened Schulz' translation (or rather, his adaptation), making it sound, or at least attempting to make it sound less literary, but in the 1812 edition of their tales, their Rapunzel still keeps the pregnancy of the heroine, of the main protagonist. It was only in later editions of the Kinder- und Hausmärchen that the now more familiar scenario is shown (instead of Rapunzel asking the sorceress to help her with tightening up her dress, as it has become too small due to of course her being with child, in later editions, Rapunzel simply states that the sorceress is so much heavier to pull up than the prince). Supposedly, the Grimms' chose to remove (under considerable annoyance and protest) the pregnancy aspect, as there were increasing complaints by parents, as the tales, although originally not intended for children, were being more and more considered as children's fare and read as such (for both education and entertainment).
Personally, I much appreciate the fact that Paul O. Zelinsky has combined the Grimms' 1812 edition (German) with earlier Italian and French Rapunzel/Petrosinella traditions. And considering his glowing, painterly, Italian Renaissance style illustrations, which are not just simple book illustrations, but accomplished works of art that could easily hold their own alongside of many of the greatest Italian painters of that era, I almost wish that he had titled his retelling Petrosinella instead of Rapunzel (although I do realise that the latter is more commonly known and accepted). Zelinsky's narrative flows smoothly, reads easily, and really and truly presents the different German, Italian and French Rapunzel/Petrosinella traditions in a manner that is natural, organic and does not even seem so much a combination, but rather a story with one plot line, a story of love, betrayal, and that in the end, love does conquer all.
Finally, I guess I can to a certain extent understand that (and even why) some individuals have taken umbrage at the fact that Rapunzel's, that Petrosinella (or Persinette's ) pregnancy has been included in this book (and they actually are in good historical company, it seems). However, the allusion to the latter is not, as I hope to have shown, a salacious tidbit gratuitously added by the author/illustrator; it is historical and literary fact (both Joachim Christoph Friedrich Schulz's 18th century translation and the Grimms' 1812 rendering of the Petrosinella/Rapunzel thematics show the pregnancy of the heroine as a main point of information, and I heartily applaud Zelinsky for not shying away from including it in his wonderful and evocative retelling, in his own shining, glowing, perfect Rapunzel).
The Brothers Grimm were aware of Schulz's translation, and their own Rapunzel is heavily based on his tale (basically, just as Schulz freely adapted the 18th century French translation/adaptation of Basile's Petrosinella tale to suit his needs, the Grimms in turn, adapted Schulz' narrative to suit theirs). Now one might wonder why the Grimms chose to include a tale that was so obviously literary in their collection of what they primarily considered orally developed and through the centuries repeatedly recounted and re-recounted folktales, but the brothers actually and wrongfully assumed that Schulz' tale was in fact taken from, was gleaned from and based on an earlier oral version (they did notice the similarity to Basile's Petrosinella but did not take the next logical step, namely that Schulz's translation was in fact based on the same, and was not simply a rendering of an earlier orally recounted, orally passed on folktale).
Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm much shortened Schulz' translation (or rather, his adaptation), making it sound, or at least attempting to make it sound less literary, but in the 1812 edition of their tales, their Rapunzel still keeps the pregnancy of the heroine, of the main protagonist. It was only in later editions of the Kinder- und Hausmärchen that the now more familiar scenario is shown (instead of Rapunzel asking the sorceress to help her with tightening up her dress, as it has become too small due to of course her being with child, in later editions, Rapunzel simply states that the sorceress is so much heavier to pull up than the prince). Supposedly, the Grimms' chose to remove (under considerable annoyance and protest) the pregnancy aspect, as there were increasing complaints by parents, as the tales, although originally not intended for children, were being more and more considered as children's fare and read as such (for both education and entertainment).
Personally, I much appreciate the fact that Paul O. Zelinsky has combined the Grimms' 1812 edition (German) with earlier Italian and French Rapunzel/Petrosinella traditions. And considering his glowing, painterly, Italian Renaissance style illustrations, which are not just simple book illustrations, but accomplished works of art that could easily hold their own alongside of many of the greatest Italian painters of that era, I almost wish that he had titled his retelling Petrosinella instead of Rapunzel (although I do realise that the latter is more commonly known and accepted). Zelinsky's narrative flows smoothly, reads easily, and really and truly presents the different German, Italian and French Rapunzel/Petrosinella traditions in a manner that is natural, organic and does not even seem so much a combination, but rather a story with one plot line, a story of love, betrayal, and that in the end, love does conquer all.
Finally, I guess I can to a certain extent understand that (and even why) some individuals have taken umbrage at the fact that Rapunzel's, that Petrosinella (or Persinette's ) pregnancy has been included in this book (and they actually are in good historical company, it seems). However, the allusion to the latter is not, as I hope to have shown, a salacious tidbit gratuitously added by the author/illustrator; it is historical and literary fact (both Joachim Christoph Friedrich Schulz's 18th century translation and the Grimms' 1812 rendering of the Petrosinella/Rapunzel thematics show the pregnancy of the heroine as a main point of information, and I heartily applaud Zelinsky for not shying away from including it in his wonderful and evocative retelling, in his own shining, glowing, perfect Rapunzel).
January 13, 2017
I really appreciated everything about Zelinsky's "Rapunzel" from his detailed author's note to his thoughtful adaptation to the faithful representation of Renaissance art. (Alas, the Renaissance style has never been one of my favorites so I didn't personally love the illustrations, though I find a great deal of merit in them. His work really makes an impression, I feel. I still get a little shiver when I think of his Rumplestiltskin, whom I met in childhood.) I liked his less-"Grimm" version of the tale but that he still retained some of the more somber elements. (I couldn't help but think of Rapunzel's own mother and father when the "happy ending" came about. So sad!) Rapunzel really is a fascinating story. I feel that the "wicked" witch could be so much more richly developed. (I know there are times when a part of me wishes I could keep my own children safe in a happy, magical tower, away from the dark forces in the world!) But, in all the versions of "Rapunzel" that I've encountered (even the Disney version, which does have a more developed witch character) the witch is ultimately purely selfish, or so it seems to me, not as nuanced as most parents, with their own tug-of-war over that delicate balance of freedom and safety for their children.
June 20, 2017
Zelinsky is a better artist than a writer, in my opinion, so this wasn't as impressive as his other work I've read. But it's still a very good version of "Rapunzel" that's going to be a keeper for me.
December 26, 2021
gorgeous illustrations and a wonderful adaptation of Rapunzel. Zelinsky has a note at the end of the book that explains the history of different adaptations of Rapunzel that I found interesting.
January 2, 2017
I do very much like this version. I like that the 'witch' is here known as a 'sorceress.' I like that here the girl is hidden, but not locked up in the tower, until she is twelve. I have always preferred the versions that included the twin babies. I mean, it's only natural that the sorceress needs to learn the lesson of the folly of over-protection. Lots of parents need to learn that lesson!
Author's note explains origins of tale, and choice of setting for the art.
Author's note explains origins of tale, and choice of setting for the art.
July 5, 2021
Zelinsky's retelling of Rapunzel is pure artistry. His effective Renaissance-style illustrations could easily tell the story without words. I'm no art scholar, but I do enjoy traipsing through the Renaissance section of art museums, and I recognized many echoes of real-life paintings even if I couldn't identify them. If you want young readers in your life to grow up loving art from this era, letting them pore over books like these should do the trick. Meeting art like this in the familiar pages of a fairy tale makes it easier to digest and less foreign. Zelinsky captures the feel of the medieval-Renaissance flavor of the tale completely, while making it palatable for young readers. At least, as palatable as a fairy tale can be--all of them have deeply disturbing elements! In this case, it's Rapunzel giving birth to twins while alone in the wilderness that chills me, though children will likely be most disturbed by the sorceress taking Rapunzel from her parents.
My mom adores picture books with lush illustrations like this, so I'm fairly sure we read this when I was growing up. Zelinsky has a long note at the end about the history of the tale and the versions he used to craft this book. I'm walking away from this reading with a deep respect for his talent and research and will look up more of his work. He signed my library's copy, which was a special treat. At the end, he writes, "It would please me if my pictures served in some measure to spur interest in the magnificent art from which I have drawn." In my case, at least, his wish was granted!
My mom adores picture books with lush illustrations like this, so I'm fairly sure we read this when I was growing up. Zelinsky has a long note at the end about the history of the tale and the versions he used to craft this book. I'm walking away from this reading with a deep respect for his talent and research and will look up more of his work. He signed my library's copy, which was a special treat. At the end, he writes, "It would please me if my pictures served in some measure to spur interest in the magnificent art from which I have drawn." In my case, at least, his wish was granted!
December 18, 2019
Gorgeous illustrations that pay homage to Renaissance art. A story that takes inspiration from various sources of the "Rapunzel" story that we all know. I never knew that the name of the female protagonist - Rapunzel - was taken from an herb plant called rapunzel, or rampion. And the story itself wasn't the "folk tale" that the Grimm brothers made it out to be. It was an adaption of their own story written many years before, and in turn, this story was inspired from a French version that took its root from the original story in Naples, Italy. Now that's what I called folk tale 😊😄. It's so amazing to see how generations after generations, a story can be passed on and turned into different versions but still retaining the same idea. In the original Italian version, the girl was named after parsley - the herb that her mother craved during pregnancy. Not rapunzel/rampion. Can you believe that? 😄. And the fact that the author/illustrator decided to use Renaissance Italian art in this book is just brilliant.
September 10, 2023
Una versión ilustrada de uno de los cuentos de hadas más famosos. Zelinsky crea, por medio de imágenes potentes, a veces delicadas, a veces febriles, y los atisbos de narración uno de los retellings más cautivadores de esta historia.
December 11, 2012
1. Picture Book: Traditional Literature
2. This is the retelling of Rapunzel, the story of a young girl who is forced to grow up in isolation and confinement because a sorceress is hiding her from the king, when she meets a prince who is enchanted by her voice and her long, lustrous hair. She then has to learn how to live on her own after many years of confinement, and is reunited with her prince.
3. Critique:
a. Zelinsky brings the age-old tale of Rapunzel to life with his beautiful illustrations.
b. His Italian renaissance style of illustrations is filled with light warm golden tones. Zelinsky uses control of light, landscape, characters, architecture and costumes to paint a beautiful, poignant picture of Rapunzel.
c. As opposed to the dark and extremely dim recount by the Grimm Brothers, this version uses illustrations to show that Rapunzel was not living in a dungeon like tower by an evil witch who tortured her, but was kept in solitude because the woman loved her so much, and provided her with luxury. The illustrations set the tone of the piece, and although she endures quite a bit of hardship, the overall tone lends to love that conquers all.
4. This is a great story to read to early elementary students, and then apply their art and dexterity skills by making their own Rapunzel puppet out of a paper bag, with long yarn for hair. The students can then practice braiding the hair to strengthen fine motor skills.
2. This is the retelling of Rapunzel, the story of a young girl who is forced to grow up in isolation and confinement because a sorceress is hiding her from the king, when she meets a prince who is enchanted by her voice and her long, lustrous hair. She then has to learn how to live on her own after many years of confinement, and is reunited with her prince.
3. Critique:
a. Zelinsky brings the age-old tale of Rapunzel to life with his beautiful illustrations.
b. His Italian renaissance style of illustrations is filled with light warm golden tones. Zelinsky uses control of light, landscape, characters, architecture and costumes to paint a beautiful, poignant picture of Rapunzel.
c. As opposed to the dark and extremely dim recount by the Grimm Brothers, this version uses illustrations to show that Rapunzel was not living in a dungeon like tower by an evil witch who tortured her, but was kept in solitude because the woman loved her so much, and provided her with luxury. The illustrations set the tone of the piece, and although she endures quite a bit of hardship, the overall tone lends to love that conquers all.
4. This is a great story to read to early elementary students, and then apply their art and dexterity skills by making their own Rapunzel puppet out of a paper bag, with long yarn for hair. The students can then practice braiding the hair to strengthen fine motor skills.
July 13, 2009
Maybe because my teacher said something in class, but I was expecting something different from this book. I thought maybe it would be 'de-constructing' the fairy tale in someway, but instead it was just sort of putting it together in a mismash of various versions, some Grimm, some earlier traditions. The illustrations were interesting, and the abundance of cats in the pictures were nice.
January 15, 2014
Once upon a time there was a happily married couple whose only sorrow was that they did not have a child. Then one day, they learn the woman is pregnant and the sorrow is replaced with joy. The wife liked to sit by the window overlooking a beautiful walled garden owned by a sorceress. One day she saw an abundant bed of the herb rapunzel, and a great need to eat some overcome her. Telling her husband she will die if she doesn't have some, he dutifully climbs down into the garden and steals some. But it's not enough, and the next day he goes back - and is caught by the sorceress.
On explaining his problem to her, she tells him he can take the rapunzel, but in exchange she will take their baby when it is born. She names the child Rapunzel, and raises her in isolation in the wilderness. When Rapunzel turns twelve, the sorceress takes her through the forest and puts her in a tall, narrow tower with no door and only one window, high up. It's a magic tower, and spacious inside, but Rapunzel is sealed off from the world. To get inside, the sorceress calls out "Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair", and she climbs it.
One day a prince discovers the tower and is curious; he has heard rumours of a fabled beauty trapped inside. He hides in the forest and witnesses the sorceress's method for gaining access. When the sorceress is gone, he calls out to Rapunzel to lower her hair and climbs inside, giving her the shock of her life. But he's nice and friendly and soon they become lovers and Rapunzel falls pregnant. The sorceress, on discovering that Rapunzel has betrayed her, cuts off her hair and sends her out into the wilderness to perish. Instead, Rapunzel survives and has not one baby but twins, a boy and a girl.
Meanwhile, when the prince returns to the tower and calls out to Rapunzel to lower her hair, the sorceress hooks the shorn hair to the window and confronts him at the top of the tower. She tells him Rapunzel is lost to him forever, and in shock and despair he falls. He doesn't die, but he is blinded and weak, and stumbles for months through the wilderness until, lo! he hears Rapunzel's voice and finds her. Her tears of joy fall onto his face and his blindness is cured. Together with their two children they return to the town and the king's palace, where they live happily ever after.
"Rapunzel" wasn't a story I really read as a kid - I didn't have my own copy, or a beloved version. I knew the story in a vague way, but I don't know if that's because Rapunzel tropes and distinctive symbols crop up so much in our society and culture (like a lot of other fairy tales and Shakespeare plays). In short, I can't actually say with any certainty whether I read the story as a child or not. As an adult with a young child of my own, I suddenly became interested in collecting really good editions of fairy tales and other classic stories - hence my lovely Robert Ingpen-illustrated editions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and others.
Finding a good edition of fairy tales is a harder task, though. Ideally, I wanted to browse through book shops and check out the version quality (text) and the illustrations, before committing to buying any. Sadly, the bookshops only had rather trite and silly, or Disneyfied, editions, collections of heavily abridged stories in "bedtime" volumes. So I took a gamble on Paul O Zelinsky's beautifully illustrated retelling, buying it without being able to check it out first.
And it is a beautiful rendering of the story of Rapunzel. I wanted a version that hadn't been made cutesy or had the darkness removed from it - fairy tales should be dark stories, they were originally moralistic, cautionary warning tales, after all. Zelinsky's illustrations are vivid and richly detailed, colourful and patterned yet still broody and full of atmosphere. (I do find the prince's mullet to be a bit off-putting, though!) The story reads well, though in typical fairy tale fashion, plot holes abound. You just have to take those in stride; realism was never the point of a fairy tale, though Zelinsky (whose is "the son of a mathematics professor and a medical illustrator" according to his Goodreads page) provides a lot of precision in his illustrations, which also have the feel of classic Italian paintings. The illustrations are both real and romantic; as an adult I feel that they don't really capture the human emotions or fill in any gaps in the story, but I also feel that as a child I would have been drawn to this style of illustration (I liked the precise and finely detailed, like intricate mazes and Where's Wally? pictures).
Not having anything to compare it to, though, I can't offer an opinion on this retelling over others. I've given you an abridged run-down of Zelinsky's retelling above, and I'd love to hear how it compares to other versions that you've read. This is just the kind of edition I was looking for, and it has a three-page "note" at the back about the history of the story and its history, and the alterations its undergone over the centuries, which is by far the more fascinating part of the story for me! My young son, however, is quite interested in the story itself, and I hope it will be one he (and any sibling he may have) can enjoy for years to come.
On explaining his problem to her, she tells him he can take the rapunzel, but in exchange she will take their baby when it is born. She names the child Rapunzel, and raises her in isolation in the wilderness. When Rapunzel turns twelve, the sorceress takes her through the forest and puts her in a tall, narrow tower with no door and only one window, high up. It's a magic tower, and spacious inside, but Rapunzel is sealed off from the world. To get inside, the sorceress calls out "Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair", and she climbs it.
One day a prince discovers the tower and is curious; he has heard rumours of a fabled beauty trapped inside. He hides in the forest and witnesses the sorceress's method for gaining access. When the sorceress is gone, he calls out to Rapunzel to lower her hair and climbs inside, giving her the shock of her life. But he's nice and friendly and soon they become lovers and Rapunzel falls pregnant. The sorceress, on discovering that Rapunzel has betrayed her, cuts off her hair and sends her out into the wilderness to perish. Instead, Rapunzel survives and has not one baby but twins, a boy and a girl.
Meanwhile, when the prince returns to the tower and calls out to Rapunzel to lower her hair, the sorceress hooks the shorn hair to the window and confronts him at the top of the tower. She tells him Rapunzel is lost to him forever, and in shock and despair he falls. He doesn't die, but he is blinded and weak, and stumbles for months through the wilderness until, lo! he hears Rapunzel's voice and finds her. Her tears of joy fall onto his face and his blindness is cured. Together with their two children they return to the town and the king's palace, where they live happily ever after.
"Rapunzel" wasn't a story I really read as a kid - I didn't have my own copy, or a beloved version. I knew the story in a vague way, but I don't know if that's because Rapunzel tropes and distinctive symbols crop up so much in our society and culture (like a lot of other fairy tales and Shakespeare plays). In short, I can't actually say with any certainty whether I read the story as a child or not. As an adult with a young child of my own, I suddenly became interested in collecting really good editions of fairy tales and other classic stories - hence my lovely Robert Ingpen-illustrated editions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and others.
Finding a good edition of fairy tales is a harder task, though. Ideally, I wanted to browse through book shops and check out the version quality (text) and the illustrations, before committing to buying any. Sadly, the bookshops only had rather trite and silly, or Disneyfied, editions, collections of heavily abridged stories in "bedtime" volumes. So I took a gamble on Paul O Zelinsky's beautifully illustrated retelling, buying it without being able to check it out first.
And it is a beautiful rendering of the story of Rapunzel. I wanted a version that hadn't been made cutesy or had the darkness removed from it - fairy tales should be dark stories, they were originally moralistic, cautionary warning tales, after all. Zelinsky's illustrations are vivid and richly detailed, colourful and patterned yet still broody and full of atmosphere. (I do find the prince's mullet to be a bit off-putting, though!) The story reads well, though in typical fairy tale fashion, plot holes abound. You just have to take those in stride; realism was never the point of a fairy tale, though Zelinsky (whose is "the son of a mathematics professor and a medical illustrator" according to his Goodreads page) provides a lot of precision in his illustrations, which also have the feel of classic Italian paintings. The illustrations are both real and romantic; as an adult I feel that they don't really capture the human emotions or fill in any gaps in the story, but I also feel that as a child I would have been drawn to this style of illustration (I liked the precise and finely detailed, like intricate mazes and Where's Wally? pictures).
Not having anything to compare it to, though, I can't offer an opinion on this retelling over others. I've given you an abridged run-down of Zelinsky's retelling above, and I'd love to hear how it compares to other versions that you've read. This is just the kind of edition I was looking for, and it has a three-page "note" at the back about the history of the story and its history, and the alterations its undergone over the centuries, which is by far the more fascinating part of the story for me! My young son, however, is quite interested in the story itself, and I hope it will be one he (and any sibling he may have) can enjoy for years to come.
May 8, 2010
“Rapunzel” is a Caldecott Medal award winning book from the talented Paul O. Zelinsky and it is a classic Brothers Grimm tale about how a young woman named Rapunzel meets her true love after being trapped in a tower for many years and how she tries to keep this secret from a wicked sorceress. “Rapunzel” is truly a captivating story about true love that many children will love for many years.
Paul O. Zelinsky’s story about a young girl imprisoned in her castle has been a cult classic in the fairy tale industry for many years and the writing is dramatic and romantic at the same time as the audience feels the tension when Rapunzel is taken away from her parents by the sorceress and the romance being blossomed when Rapunzel meets the Prince for the first time. Paul O. Zelinsky’s illustrations are extremely beautiful and realistic looking, especially of the image of Rapunzel herself having long, orange hair and maintaining a beautiful face all throughout the story.
“Rapunzel” is a brilliant book about the importance of true love and it will easily captivate children who are fans of fantastic fairy tales such as this one. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since smaller children might be upset about the scene where Rapunzel is taken away from her parents as a baby.
Paul O. Zelinsky’s story about a young girl imprisoned in her castle has been a cult classic in the fairy tale industry for many years and the writing is dramatic and romantic at the same time as the audience feels the tension when Rapunzel is taken away from her parents by the sorceress and the romance being blossomed when Rapunzel meets the Prince for the first time. Paul O. Zelinsky’s illustrations are extremely beautiful and realistic looking, especially of the image of Rapunzel herself having long, orange hair and maintaining a beautiful face all throughout the story.
“Rapunzel” is a brilliant book about the importance of true love and it will easily captivate children who are fans of fantastic fairy tales such as this one. I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since smaller children might be upset about the scene where Rapunzel is taken away from her parents as a baby.
October 12, 2012
The story of Rapunzel was always one of my favorite fairy tales growing up. I was intrigued by the idea of a girl kept hidden in a tower, letting her hair down to let the world in, but never being able to leave that tower. With sumptuous oil paintings that allow the beauty of the tower and Rapunzel with her amazingly-long tresses to be highlighted, the author/illustrator takes readers to a different place and time than their current surroundings. Echoing as he does the style of Italian Renaissance painters, his illustrations are luminescent, and he shows so much devotion in the simple gesture of the prince holding Rapunzel's hand in his own once he enters the tower. The separate anguish of the sorcerer and Rapunzel are depicted perfectly in the scene in which the sorcerer hacks off Rapunzel's hair. Although this is a picture book, it touches upon adult themes. After the prince visits her every night, Rapunzel's dress seems too tight, a sign that she is pregnant and proof to the sorceress that she has not been alone all those nights. One aspect of the illustrations that may interest readers is the cat that keeps appearing throughout the pages. This is a gorgeous picture book.
January 11, 2017
1998 Caldecott Medal - Favorite Illustration: When the prince and Rapunzel are headed back toward his kingdom, each carrying a child.
I adore these illustrations! The rendering of this fairy tale using the Italian Renaissance style is absolutely beautiful. I thought the text was simply a standard version of the story but you almost don't need any words as the pictures have so much detail you could "read" the story from them alone. Also, I have always loved the ending of this version, with Rapunzel having twins in the wilderness and her tears healing the prince upon their reunion. I especially loved the way Disney kept this small detail at the end of Tangled, when Rapunzel's tears heal her love.
I adore these illustrations! The rendering of this fairy tale using the Italian Renaissance style is absolutely beautiful. I thought the text was simply a standard version of the story but you almost don't need any words as the pictures have so much detail you could "read" the story from them alone. Also, I have always loved the ending of this version, with Rapunzel having twins in the wilderness and her tears healing the prince upon their reunion. I especially loved the way Disney kept this small detail at the end of Tangled, when Rapunzel's tears heal her love.
September 2, 2015
If you're a fan of the Italian Renaissance, this is a version that will visually delight. The story of Rapunzel is re-told with a blending of versions that is interesting and not too scary (thanks for all the nightmares Brothers Grimm!). The detail is exquisite and each picture begs to be lingered over. I appreciated the notes at the end about the original story as well.
Overall, the best part? Finding out the tower is related to Dr. Who's TARDIS apparently. I would have liked to explore the many rooms in the book, but we never got quite enough page time for that which I found very sad. :P
Overall, the best part? Finding out the tower is related to Dr. Who's TARDIS apparently. I would have liked to explore the many rooms in the book, but we never got quite enough page time for that which I found very sad. :P
May 2, 2018
This Caldecott winner is the familiar story of Rapunzel but the watercolor paintings that accompany it are absolutely beautiful. The story itself is a simple retelling of the fairy tale but it is made all the richer with Zelinsky's incredible paintings. Recommended for middle elementary students.
January 20, 2021
1998 Caldecott
Beautifully illustrated. But the story of Rapunzel includes a sorcerer stealing a baby, locking someone in a tower, cutting off her hair, and causing the prince to fall and go blind.
But... he lived happily every after with Rapunzel.
I know this may be a famous fairy tale, but it is actually rather scary to kids.
I will add the 'horror' shelf to my filing.
Additionally, it has a LOT of words for a book geared toward kids. Children don't really have the patience required for this, nor the use of longer older-age-group sentences.
5* for the illustrations
2* for this fairy tale (that is past its time)
Beautifully illustrated. But the story of Rapunzel includes a sorcerer stealing a baby, locking someone in a tower, cutting off her hair, and causing the prince to fall and go blind.
But... he lived happily every after with Rapunzel.
I know this may be a famous fairy tale, but it is actually rather scary to kids.
I will add the 'horror' shelf to my filing.
Additionally, it has a LOT of words for a book geared toward kids. Children don't really have the patience required for this, nor the use of longer older-age-group sentences.
5* for the illustrations
2* for this fairy tale (that is past its time)
September 26, 2017
This is a hard book for me to rate. On one hand, it had intricate illustrations that many will love, and the story was certainly exciting. However, as a mom, this book just felt very uncomfortable to me. I felt like the pregnancies and babies in the story were ...well...awkward.
September 22, 2019
5 stars for both the Italian Renaissance style paintings and the lovely retelling of the Rapunzel tale, both by Paul O Zelinsky. 1998 Caldecott winner.
January 9, 2017
Combining various components of the folk tale of Rapunzel, Zelinsky tells of a pregnant wife who craves the herb Rapunzel which is found in the forbidden garden of a wicked sorceress.
The husband cuts and brings home the treat for his wife to consume.
When the sorceress discovers the deceit, she tells the husband either the wife must die, or she must give the baby to her.
The child, a beautiful baby girl, is given to the sorceress who then raises the child and when she becomes a lovely woman, is held hostage in a high tower.
When a prince happens to pass the tower and hear lovely singing, he is smitten and enthralled.
Watching the sorceress obtain entry by demanding Rapunzel let down her hair, the prince does the same while the sorceress is away.
The lovely lady and the handsome prince fall in love. when Rapunzel is discovered to be pregnant, the sorceress knows she has been deceived.
Sending Rapunzel away to live alone, Rapunzel has twins -- a girl and a boy.
When the witch tricks the prince to climb the tower, he falls and is blinded. Wandering alone in time, blinded, the prince hears the lovely voice and once again is united with his love and the twin babies of their union.
Her tears bring sight to him and they live happily ever after. This rendition is different than others and I am eager to research and learn more. The illustrations of Zelinsky are incredibly beautiful.
The husband cuts and brings home the treat for his wife to consume.
When the sorceress discovers the deceit, she tells the husband either the wife must die, or she must give the baby to her.
The child, a beautiful baby girl, is given to the sorceress who then raises the child and when she becomes a lovely woman, is held hostage in a high tower.
When a prince happens to pass the tower and hear lovely singing, he is smitten and enthralled.
Watching the sorceress obtain entry by demanding Rapunzel let down her hair, the prince does the same while the sorceress is away.
The lovely lady and the handsome prince fall in love. when Rapunzel is discovered to be pregnant, the sorceress knows she has been deceived.
Sending Rapunzel away to live alone, Rapunzel has twins -- a girl and a boy.
When the witch tricks the prince to climb the tower, he falls and is blinded. Wandering alone in time, blinded, the prince hears the lovely voice and once again is united with his love and the twin babies of their union.
Her tears bring sight to him and they live happily ever after. This rendition is different than others and I am eager to research and learn more. The illustrations of Zelinsky are incredibly beautiful.
December 18, 2019
Drum roll please....I HAVE READ ALL THE CALDECOTT WINNERS up to this year 2019!!! And what a book to end on. Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky is a most beautifully illustrated and retold copy of this classic tale! I would also say that from my limited knowledge of Rapunzel this is my favorite retelling. Mr. Zelinsky gives a short history of the tale at the end of this book and it is worth the read!
January 30, 2017
Based on the Grimm brothers version of Rapunzel (which was based on several older versions of similar stories). Gorgeous illustrations.
Reread January 2016. I really loved this version of Rapunzel. I appreciated Zelinsky's author's note about the origins of the Rapunzel story. I really, really love the illustrations. They are breathtaking. The Caldecott Medal was well deserved.
Reread January 2016. I really loved this version of Rapunzel. I appreciated Zelinsky's author's note about the origins of the Rapunzel story. I really, really love the illustrations. They are breathtaking. The Caldecott Medal was well deserved.
January 30, 2024
Sooo i’m in a child literature class at UTEP this semester, so catch me reading some children’s books! but this book was really cute. beautiful oil pictures in there, perfect for an elementary school classroom, and hope to add it to my future library in my own classroom :)
October 21, 2011
A very fun story, but it definitely depends on what version you read.
January 13, 2018
This retelling is masterful, mixing its many origins. I also love the artwork, and it %100 earned its Caldecott win. I love this so much.
December 23, 2023
Book 177 of 2023
All time favourite Disney book/movie of mine 😍😍😍
All time favourite Disney book/movie of mine 😍😍😍
February 16, 2019
A retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel from the Brothers Grimm. An author's note in the back of the book traces the roots of this fairy tale in all its variations. The art is truly breathtaking.
December 30, 2017
Paul O. Zelinsky’s Rapunzel, while not exemplary in its retelling of the fairy tale itself, when paired with the author-illustrator’s artwork is exceptional and a valuable piece of literature, as well as historically interesting.
Throughout the text Zelinsky utilizes several motifs. Though certainly secondary to the story of Rapunzel the kitten is in its youth when Rapunzel is a child, and seems to be her companion, as it follows her throughout her goings-on. As the stepmother embroiders, the kitten sits at her feet, both watching a young Rapunzel frolic upon a fallen log in the water (Zelinsky 18). When Rapunzel is twelve, the cat is older, and they walk side by side over a bridge with the sorceress, most likely to the tower (Zelinsky 19). Even when the twin babies lie watching their mother and father embrace in the wilderness, not far away is the presumably beloved pet, the now much-older Siamese cat (Zelinsky 36). And as the little family lives their “happy and content” life, the cat watches like a sphinx at their feet from the last page of the book (Zelinsky 40).
Also visually dominant throughout the visual storyline is a distinctive purple flower, Campanula rapunculus, or rampion, which in German, is rapunzel. On pages 12 and 15, Rapunzel’s father picks the greens from the sorceress’ garden. The pentagonal-shaped tower’s corner columns in which the title character is imprisoned are topped with decorative rapunzel flowers. Rapunzel herself wears a dangling gold pendant with a blue stone in the center from which dangles a miniature rampion flower. On pages where there are no all page, full-bleed illustrations, occasionally Paul O. Zelinsky uses a design of three rampion flowers spreading downward under two leaves to break up the monotony of an otherwise white page with text.
According to Perry Nodelman, “many of the stories in picture books are versions of tales from countries around the world” (285). Rapunzel is no exception, and though, as aforementioned, it has been retold in many countries with many variations, its origins are in Naples, Italy. It is fitting then, that the artwork of the book is decidedly Renaissance. In an interview with The Children’s Book Council, Paul Zelinsky admitted that he purposefully selected Italy as his inspiration for Rapunzel: “I chose to make the settings about as real as possible, though not in the reality of today; rather, in Italy, in 1500, when people's clothes looked so wonderful, and there really were princes…I felt that providing the reader with a sense of a solid, historical world would heighten the experience.”
Also, Rapunzel contains uses what is called a “full-bleed” illustration technique, meaning that its artwork is printed to the edge of the book’s page. Many of the tale’s illustrations are done in two-page spreads, which convey a sense of greater size to the reader and make the story feel more accessible. As Nodelman suggests, “as…imaginative freedom grows, the pictures get larger and the borders smaller” (280). Perhaps this is why for Paul O. Zelinsky’s book there are literally no borders at all.
The model for Zelinsky’s Rapunzel could easily be Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, as both have strawberry-blonde hair and fair skin with remarkably similar facial structures. Not only the characters faces and clothing mimic Renaissance painters, but architectural work of the period as well. For example, marble frescoes present in Rapunzel are almost identical to that found in Last Supper and Stories of Christ's Passion by Andrea del Castagno from a 1447 fresco in Sant’Appollonia in Florence.
Not only are there those possible historical tie-ins, as well as those intentionally chosen by the artist when he opted for Italy as the setting of the work, but there are individual inclusions in the artwork that make the pictures more accurate. “It might have been more strictly factual than necessary to expect that the furniture, the architecture, the clothes and hairstyles, the objects lying on tables, all be consistent with a period and a place. I could easily have cheated…but doesn't the specificity…bring some extra spark…?” as Paul said in a “Meet the Author/Illustrator” forum in 2008.
As a work of literature, it may be unremarkable. There is a lack of page numbers—which does not lend itself well to academic study or reference—but which may not affect reading aloud or individually. There is no descriptive prose or colorful dialogue, but the oil-painted illustrations are painted with so much talent and so beautifully that one barely notes the words.
Throughout the text Zelinsky utilizes several motifs. Though certainly secondary to the story of Rapunzel the kitten is in its youth when Rapunzel is a child, and seems to be her companion, as it follows her throughout her goings-on. As the stepmother embroiders, the kitten sits at her feet, both watching a young Rapunzel frolic upon a fallen log in the water (Zelinsky 18). When Rapunzel is twelve, the cat is older, and they walk side by side over a bridge with the sorceress, most likely to the tower (Zelinsky 19). Even when the twin babies lie watching their mother and father embrace in the wilderness, not far away is the presumably beloved pet, the now much-older Siamese cat (Zelinsky 36). And as the little family lives their “happy and content” life, the cat watches like a sphinx at their feet from the last page of the book (Zelinsky 40).
Also visually dominant throughout the visual storyline is a distinctive purple flower, Campanula rapunculus, or rampion, which in German, is rapunzel. On pages 12 and 15, Rapunzel’s father picks the greens from the sorceress’ garden. The pentagonal-shaped tower’s corner columns in which the title character is imprisoned are topped with decorative rapunzel flowers. Rapunzel herself wears a dangling gold pendant with a blue stone in the center from which dangles a miniature rampion flower. On pages where there are no all page, full-bleed illustrations, occasionally Paul O. Zelinsky uses a design of three rampion flowers spreading downward under two leaves to break up the monotony of an otherwise white page with text.
According to Perry Nodelman, “many of the stories in picture books are versions of tales from countries around the world” (285). Rapunzel is no exception, and though, as aforementioned, it has been retold in many countries with many variations, its origins are in Naples, Italy. It is fitting then, that the artwork of the book is decidedly Renaissance. In an interview with The Children’s Book Council, Paul Zelinsky admitted that he purposefully selected Italy as his inspiration for Rapunzel: “I chose to make the settings about as real as possible, though not in the reality of today; rather, in Italy, in 1500, when people's clothes looked so wonderful, and there really were princes…I felt that providing the reader with a sense of a solid, historical world would heighten the experience.”
Also, Rapunzel contains uses what is called a “full-bleed” illustration technique, meaning that its artwork is printed to the edge of the book’s page. Many of the tale’s illustrations are done in two-page spreads, which convey a sense of greater size to the reader and make the story feel more accessible. As Nodelman suggests, “as…imaginative freedom grows, the pictures get larger and the borders smaller” (280). Perhaps this is why for Paul O. Zelinsky’s book there are literally no borders at all.
The model for Zelinsky’s Rapunzel could easily be Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, as both have strawberry-blonde hair and fair skin with remarkably similar facial structures. Not only the characters faces and clothing mimic Renaissance painters, but architectural work of the period as well. For example, marble frescoes present in Rapunzel are almost identical to that found in Last Supper and Stories of Christ's Passion by Andrea del Castagno from a 1447 fresco in Sant’Appollonia in Florence.
Not only are there those possible historical tie-ins, as well as those intentionally chosen by the artist when he opted for Italy as the setting of the work, but there are individual inclusions in the artwork that make the pictures more accurate. “It might have been more strictly factual than necessary to expect that the furniture, the architecture, the clothes and hairstyles, the objects lying on tables, all be consistent with a period and a place. I could easily have cheated…but doesn't the specificity…bring some extra spark…?” as Paul said in a “Meet the Author/Illustrator” forum in 2008.
As a work of literature, it may be unremarkable. There is a lack of page numbers—which does not lend itself well to academic study or reference—but which may not affect reading aloud or individually. There is no descriptive prose or colorful dialogue, but the oil-painted illustrations are painted with so much talent and so beautifully that one barely notes the words.
May 3, 2018
Rapunzel is a childhood story every child should read at some point I believe. This is great for all young children elementary school-aged. It has earned a Caldecott Medal award. The soft artwork through the whole book is a great visual aid for the reader, especially because if you haven't heard of Repunzel imagining someone climb up someones hair could be difficult. The paintings of Rapunzel hair hanging down the tower is an important attribute to the story. The cover page shows Repunzel in her tower, with the title vertical, just like how her hair would be hanging out the town, which w as creative and appropriate. I would read this aloud and show the pictures to the child/ren on each page.
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