Rapunzel

A Comic Book Graded Readers graded reader by Abraão Paula

Rapunzel is a full-colour comic book graded reader that adapts the Brothers Grimm fairy tale for adult and teen beginners learning English at Level 1 (CEFR A1). Adapted by Abraão Paula for the Comic Book Graded Readers series, it tells the story in 1,497 words and 328 headwords, so a beginner can read a complete story of captivity, courage and freedom in English.

At a glance

A poor man steals plants from a witch's garden for his hungry wife, and the witch takes their newborn daughter as payment; she names her Rapunzel and locks her in a tall tower with no door and one high window. Years later a prince hears Rapunzel singing, learns the witch's secret call — "Rapunzel, let down your hair!" — and climbs up; together they plan to run away, but the witch is watching. It is a Level 1 · A1 reader with steady suspense and one question: What will the witch do when she learns the secret?

How it teaches

Every story page is a full-colour comic, and every short sentence sits next to the image that shows it. When the text says "The tower has no door" and the panel shows a smooth stone tower rising above a dark forest, the meaning is immediate. That is Dual-Coding Theory (Allan Paivio): words and images stored together are easier to understand and remember.

The adaptation uses 328 headwords across 1,497 words, with sentences of no more than eight words and A1 grammar only — to be, simple present, simple past, will, there is / there are, can. Place and movement words — up, down, high, window, climb, tower, alone — are shown again and again, and the famous call returns like a chorus the reader quickly knows by heart.

That repeated call is a small lesson in comprehensible input (Stephen Krashen): the first time, the picture explains it; after that, the reader recognises it instantly and feels the tension build each time a different person says it.

Who it is for

This edition is designed for adults and older teens. Rapunzel is a young woman, the witch is cold and controlling, and the story's themes — being kept from the world, choosing to leave, risking everything for freedom — are adult themes. Nothing is graphic, so it works in class.

The adaptation keeps the Grimm tale's key moments: the stolen plants, the bargain, the tower with no door, the golden braid, the prince's secret visits and the witch's discovery. Knowing the tale helps the beginner, while the tension keeps grown-up readers turning pages.

It suits self-learners who want a romantic, suspenseful classic and ESL/EFL teachers who need a complete story for extensive reading.

Compared with traditional graded readers

Penguin Readers, Oxford Bookworms and Cambridge English Readers offer respected adaptations across many levels, some with audio and teacher materials — a sensible choice for a long programme.

Rapunzel stands out at the first level: a full-colour comic where images carry the meaning, an adult tone, and a Kindle eBook at US$2.99. It is the better choice for an adult beginner who wants a classic love-and-freedom story and reads more comfortably with pictures. Learners who want audio or many levels will find more of that in the traditional series.

Which edition to choose

The Kindle eBook (US$2.99) arrives instantly and shows full colour on tablets and colour screens; it is in KDP Select, so Kindle Unlimited members read it at no extra cost. Available in 13 Amazon countries.

The paperback (US$6.99) is ideal for study and rereading. Available in 14 Amazon countries.

A hardcover edition of Rapunzel is not available yet; the paperback is the best choice for a classroom copy for now.

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Read next

• Sleeping Beauty — another princess shut away from the world, and another spell to break.
• Hansel and Gretel — a second Grimm tale with a witch, where cleverness is the way out.
• Unit 7 — an original sci-fi story about a woman locked in her own home "for her protection".

Our recommendation

Yes. Rapunzel by Abraão Paula is an excellent graded reader for an adult beginner learning English at CEFR A1. Part of the Comic Book Graded Readers series, this comic book graded reader adapts the Grimm fairy tale in 1,497 words and 328 headwords, with full-colour pictures on every story page that carry the meaning of each short sentence. The key reason: a suspenseful story of captivity and freedom with a repeated, memorable call, so the learner recognises the language more each time and reads the whole book in English.

Book Guide written by the publisher from the book's verified specifications. Prices shown are the list prices in the book's home store.