Calamity Jack by Shannon and Deal Hale is the sequel to their first graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge, which Misty reviewed yesterday. I picked up Rapunzel's Revenge a while ago, because I had just finished reading some of Shannon's other books, and I loved them. When I went to the library to grab the copy on reserve, I was shocked to see that it was a graphic novel. I hadn't read any previously and wasn't interested in starting. But, I was in a hurry and my indecisiveness made me hesitate long enough that I decided I would just take the copy for now, and bring it back later. But, I was bored, still had the book and started to read it. And, I read it in one sitting because I found it to be positively delightful.
So, when I heard that they were writing a sequel told from Jack's perspective, I knew I had to read it. And it was just as delightfully fun as the first novel! Jack and Rapunzel have a great relationship. Their banter and the way they play off of each other never fails to make me laugh. This is Jack's story of climbing up the beanstalk and taking on the giants. Where Rapunzel's story was mostly in the wild's of the west, Jack's story puts us right in the middle of the industrial city.
Jack is a crazy character. He's mischievous, tricksy, and a lot less devious than he thinks he is. He fancies himself a bit of a criminal genius, but he's rather a bit more of a bumbler, who sometimes gets lucky. But, when Rapunzel is with him, with her crazy awesome hair and hard-core butt kicking abilities, things usually go much smoother.
I will admit that I didn't like this book as much as I liked Rapunzel's Revenge. I truly enjoyed it, I laughed just as much as before, but there was just a little something missing for me. It just wan't quite... there, the way that Rapunzel's story was for me. But it's definitely worth the read, especially if you read and enjoyed Rapunzel's story.
I will say that both of these books are awesome for reluctant readers. They are both fast paced, the dialogue is perfect and the drawings are fabulous. I am much more open to reading graphic novels after reading these books because when done right, the pictures add a whole new layer of depth and you catch nuances that weren't there before.