Cinderella
Cynthia lives happily with her father in a big city. Happily, that is, until her father falls in love and remarries. Life with Cynthia’s new stepmother and stepsisters turns out to be grueling and tiresome. Then the king announces that he will throw a grand ball for all his citizens. Cynthia longs to go, but it doesn’t even occur to her stepmother, her stepsisters, or even to herself that she could. Cynthia starts to feel sorry for herself — until her fairy godmother appears and shows her...
Search in google:
Cynthia lives happily with her father in a big city. Happily, that is, until her father falls in love and remarries. Life with Cynthia’s new stepmother and stepsisters turns out to be grueling and tiresome. Then the king announces that he will throw a grand ball for all his citizens. Cynthia longs to go, but it doesn’t even occur to her stepmother, her stepsisters, or even to herself that she could. Cynthia starts to feel sorry for herself — until her fairy godmother appears and shows her that she has to take control of the situation — and her life. In Cinderella, author Michèle Marineau breathes new life into Charles Perrault’s timeless classic. Gone are the mouse, the horse and carriage, and the glass slippers, and in their place are a dog chauffeur, a flashy red car, and a modern pointy-toed shoe. Accompanied by charming illustrations by Mylène Pratt, this Cinderella-story is an empowering tale for children to embrace.Children's LiteratureHere is a new account of the classic Perrault fairy tale, with a 21st century Cinderella. A smile and a speckled shirt are found to be the ingredients for living happily ever here. No castles, princesses or pumpkins will be found in this book s pages, but tomatoes, a dog and life in the city give a new sense of hope and perseverance to the modern woman who is trapped in menial chores and drudgery. The premise is the same as the classic tale: A widowed father marries a woman with two daughters, a ball is announced, almost everyone is invited, and yes, there is a fairy godmother. Using what is available, Cinderella is able to attend the ball. This fairy godmother tells her to return by midnight, but also tells her to smile because [w]ithout a smile, all the other stuff doesn t count. True to form, the prince at the ball is spellbound by Cinderella and dances with no one else. Although a fabulous evening for Cinderella, it is deemed boring by her stepmother and stepsisters. Pratt s illustrations are appropriate for this updated version. For example, the glass slipper has been replaced by a clunky, chunky brown shoe. A terrific addition to any collection, especially those including updated fairy tales. Even bona fide feminists will enjoy this work, as Cinderella is encouraged to take responsibility for enhancing her life. Reviewer: Elizabeth Young
\ Children's LiteratureHere is a new account of the classic Perrault fairy tale, with a 21st century Cinderella. A smile and a speckled shirt are found to be the ingredients for living happily ever here. No castles, princesses or pumpkins will be found in this book’s pages, but tomatoes, a dog and life in the city give a new sense of hope and perseverance to the modern woman who is trapped in menial chores and drudgery. The premise is the same as the classic tale: A widowed father marries a woman with two daughters, a ball is announced, “almost” everyone is invited, and yes, there is a fairy godmother. Using what is available, Cinderella is able to attend the ball. This fairy godmother tells her to return by midnight, but also tells her to smile because “[w]ithout a smile, all the other stuff doesn’t count.” True to form, the prince at the ball is spellbound by Cinderella and dances with no one else. Although a fabulous evening for Cinderella, it is deemed “boring” by her stepmother and stepsisters. Pratt’s illustrations are appropriate for this updated version. For example, the glass slipper has been replaced by a clunky, chunky brown shoe. A terrific addition to any collection, especially those including updated fairy tales. Even bona fide feminists will enjoy this work, as Cinderella is encouraged to take responsibility for enhancing her life. Reviewer: Elizabeth Young\ \ \ \ \ School Library JournalGr 1-3 A modern sensibility and quirky humor define this retelling. Cynthia (as she is first known) lives happily in the big city with her dad until he is blinded by love, but the steps are thoughtless rather than cruel, and Cinderella seems trapped by psychology more than circumstance. "Is this all there is to my life?" she wonders when her family leaves for the ball without her. A hip fairy godmother reminds her that "You must take charge and change your own life, young lady." With the help of a little magic, Cinderella empowers herself, wins the prince's heart, and lives happily ever after. Kids familiar with the traditional tale will enjoy this pleasant variation, and adults will be tickled by the irreverent approach. The naive paintings add greatly to the lighthearted feel of the book. Cinderella appears as a swingy-haired gamine reminiscent of Marlo Thomas in That Girl . Gentle humor typifies each scene; for example, the women waiting in line to try on the shoe have shopping or children in tow, check their watches, or yawn with boredom. While not a groundbreaking interpretation, this is a humorous variant that will be appreciated in large collections.-Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL\ \ \
