Calamity Jack

Written by: Shannon and Dean Hale

First line: I think of myself as a criminal mastermind...with an unfortunate amount of bad luck.

Why you should read this book: It's basically a sequel to the delightful Rapunzel's Revenge, with Jack (he of beanstalk climbing fame) at the story's center. This book begins long before he meets Rapunzel, setting him up as a bit of a rapscallion whose mischievous tendencies develop out of necessity of living life impoverished in the big city, skipping over the bit covered in the first book, and then jumping back into the story as Jack and Rapunzel return to the city, with Jack wondering how to confess his love to the dynamic, hair-wielding woman. Together, they take on a legion of evil, man-eating giants and restore order to their civilization.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Not quite as clever or fun as the first one, but still a good read.