Calamity Jack by Shannon & Dean Hale

Jack is a self-proclaimed thief and a schemer.  Underneath, he truly has a good heart, wanting to undercut the bad guys in order to help make a better life for his mother, but bad luck is always chasing him and his plans never seem to turn out quite as ... well, planned.  When he purchases some magic growing beans on the street, plants a giant beanstalk, steals the giant's -- his latest, richest, and most powerful mark yet -- magic goose, he also manages to destroy the tenement where he lives, including his home and his mother's bakery.  So as not to wreak any more havoc or cause his mother any more pain, he leaves town ... to the wild west, where he meets Rapunzel.

Jack has always known that he can't rest until he knows that his mother is taken care of, and he wants to make her proud while also impressing his dear Punzie.  But when they return to the city of his birth, he finds that the giants have destroyed everything he's known and loved.  With the help of Rapunzel and a couple of other unlikely heroes, Jack seeks to take down the giant ... and win Rapunzel's heart.

Calamity Jack and its companion story, Rapunzel's Revenge, present an awesome mix of writing and illustration, sure to captivate readers of all ages and interests.

Call number: YA GRAPHIC HALE (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian.