Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky, gave me the feeling that I was looking at a beautiful painting every time I turned the page. There is no wonder that this is a Caldecott winner for 1997. The story is a typical take on the popular fairy tale but with more depth. I think the character development for the book was lacking. By the end, we don't know if Rapunzel had dreams or even a brain. She could just be a pretty face.
The story starts with a couple who has trouble conceiving. When the wife finally becomes pregnant, she craves the herb Rapunzel from the evil sorceress's garden. She craves it so much, in fact, that she fears she may die without it. Her dutiful husband sneaks into the garden but gets caught. The sorceress bargains that she will let him take the Rapunzel if he gives her their first born. Afraid for his wife's life, the husband agrees.
They
name the daughter, Rapunzel. The sorceress takes Rapunzel and locks her
away in a tower. The only way to get in through a window at the very
top. Rapunzel throws down her hair and the sorceress climbs up. One day a
prince walking through the forest hears Rapunzel's’ singing and
instantly falls in love with her. He climbs up her hair and asks her to
marry him then and there. They have a private wedding and he visits
every time the sorceress leaves. Rapunzel becomes pregnant and when the
sorcerer finds out, she banishes her and cuts off her hair. That evening
the sorceress tricks the prince and he falls to the ground and becomes
blind. He searches for Rapunzel for over a year and finally hears her
singing voice. Rapunzel's tears of joy give the prince back his sight
and she introduces him to his sons. They all go back to the kingdom and
live happily ever after.

I have to admit that this book made me giggle inappropriately. The way that the Sorceress finds out Rapunzel has been seeing a man is because Rapunzel becomes miraculously pregnant. Which makes me think, "What was going on in that tower?" Also, the prince marries Rapunzel in secret shortly after meeting her. He doesn't try to take her out of the tower. It's like he wants her to be stuck in one place so he can visit her but maintain his own freedom. This is my personal opinion though.
This would be useful in the classroom as a comparative tool. Students could choose a fairytale and compare different versions of it. They could even write their own version of Rapunzel.