Graphic Novel- Calamity Jack

A. Bibliography:
Hale, D., Hale, S. (2010). Calamity Jack.  Ill. by Nathan Hale. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children's Books. ISBN: 9781599903736.

B. Plot Summary:
The fast-paced graphic novel Calamity Jack is a spin on the traditional tale Jack and the Beanstalk.  Jack is a schemer and trickster.  Set in the city of Shyport, the story begins with Jack's birth.  As a child, Jack starts his trickery.  When he wants something, he sets his mind to it.  As he becomes an adult, he commits his biggest scheme: He uses his magical beans to grow a beanstalk toward Blunderboar's floating house, the local wealthy and corrupt businessman.  While stealing his magical goose, the beanstalk crashes down and destroys his mom's bakery.  This is when Jack makes up his mind to stop the scheming and now the adventure begins.  Jack sets off on a journey with his friends, Prudence the fairy, his love interest Rapunzel, and Freddie in order to catch Blunderboar in his criminal scheme that has taken over the city.

C. Critical Analysis:
Set in an industrial American town, Shyport, this graphic novel is aimed for ages ten and up.   There is a good amount of advanced vocabulary for higher readers. This story has a balance of fantasy, romance and humor.  Jack has many obstacles to overcome in this novel.  He is trying to overcome his scheming ways, help his mom rebuild her shop that he accidentally destroyed, get the girl of his dreams and save his city from the local criminal mastermind. 

The authors did a good job of creating characters with distinct personalities-the brave heroine, protagonist debating right or wrong, the typical city bully.  I do wish that the authors would have spent more time developing Jack's character and his relationships with others.  I did not find myself rooting for the protagonist as I usually do when reading books.  I did not feel a connection to Jack and his story.

However, the illustrations by Nathan Hale are superb. They are bright, crisp and keep the story moving.  The theme of this graphic novel is that there is always room for change, no matter what your past holds.

D. Review Excerpts:
**Kirkus Reviews states "Populated with ant people, giants, pixies and even a Jabberwock, this fantastic yarn has something for everyone. Rapunzel's fans should not fear: This volume, though told from a male perspective, has all the pluck and verve of its predecessor. Readers will relish this gleeful mix of fairy tale, adventure and romance." 
**Publisher's Weekly states, "Teaming again with Rapunzel, and a few other allies, Jack leads readers on adventure trekking through sewers and taking to the sky. The dynamic artwork fits well with Jack and Rapunzel's quick tongues, as they flirt their way through numerous hair-raising situations."

E. Connections:

Students might enjoy reading the first book of this series, Rapunzel's Revenge. Teachers can read the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk and have students compare and contrast the stories.