Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky, 1997.

This retelling of the classic fairy tale is a Caldecott Medal winner.  The illustrations are beautiful!  A note in the beginning of the book explains a little more about the author’s sources for the story as well as his view about it.  Instead of focusing on an evil witch who holds a young girl captive, he presents “a mother figure who powerfully resists her child’s inevitable growth.”

A couple who have wished for children for a long time are excited to realize that they are finally going to have one!  However, the wife finds herself with an irresistible craving for the Rapunzel (an herb) that grows in the nearby garden of a sorceress.  She is so desperate to have some that she is able to persuade her husband to steal some for her.  But, even having some causes her craving to grow.

When the husband returns to the garden to get more Rapunzel, the sorceress catches him.  He explains the situation, saying that his wife’s craving is so intense that he fears she will die if she doesn’t get some Rapunzel.  The sorceress agrees that the wife can have the Rapunzel she needs, but in exchange, she demands the child when it is born.  Not knowing what else to do, the husband reluctantly agrees.  When the wife gives birth to a baby girl, the sorceress comes, names the baby “Rapunzel”, and takes her away from her parents.

The sorceress cares for the girl and raises her.  When the beautiful young girl turns twelve, the sorceress takes her to live in a tower in the forest.  The tower is magical, looking narrow on the outside, but containing many beautiful and comfortable rooms. The only way in or out is through the window at the very top.  The witch has Rapunzel let down her extremely long, beautiful hair so that she can climb up.

Rapunzel lives alone in the tower for years, until a prince happens to ride by and hears her singing.  The prince is enchanted by the singing and asks questions about the tower at the nearest houses, learning about the sorceress and the young woman in the tower.

One day, he sees the sorceress visiting Rapunzel and sees how she gets into the tower.  So, later, he calls to Rapunzel himself, asking her to let down her hair.  Rapunzel is surprised and frightened at first, when she sees that her new visitor isn’t the sorceress, but he speaks nicely to her, and they become friendly.  The prince proposes marriage, and Rapunzel accepts.  After that, he visits her every night, without the sorceress’s knowledge.

However, Rapunzel eventually gets pregnant, and when her clothes no longer fit her, the sorceress realizes it.  She calls Rapunzel a “wicked child” and says that she has betrayed her.  She cuts off Rapunzel’s long hair and exiles her into the wilderness, alone.

The sorceress uses Rapunzel’s long hair to trick the prince into climbing into the tower.  When he comes, she tells him that Rapunzel is gone, and he will never see her again.  The prince falls from the tower, injuring his eyes.  Blinded, the prince wanders alone for a year, lamenting for his lost wife.

Eventually, he finds Rapunzel in the wilderness, recognizing her singing.  She has given birth to twins.  Rapunzel’s tears heal the prince’s eyes, and he is able to see again.  Realizing that they are near to his kingdom, he takes Rapunzel and the twins home.

The book is available to borrow for free online through Internet Archive.