The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece

by Anthony L. Manna, Christodoula Mitakidou, Giselle Potter

Once upon a time in Greece, fate left a young girl an orphan. Her stepmother was so hateful that she counted every drop of water the orphan drank! But with the help of Nature's blessings, the orphan was showered with gifts: brilliance from the Sun, beauty from the Moon, gracefulness from the Dawn—and even a tiny pair of blue shoes from the Sea. When the prince comes to visit their village, he only has eyes for the mysterious beauty. Children will love this fanciful folk retelling of the Cinderella story, accompanied by luminous watercolor illustrations by Giselle Potter.

Genres: Picture Books, Cinderella, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Fantasy, Greece, Fiction

40 pages, Library Binding

First published October 11, 2011

About the author

ANTHONY L. MANNA, Ph.D., is a retired professor from the Department of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies and the English Department at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, where he taught Children’s Literature, Young Adult Literature, Writing, and Educational Drama and served as one of the co-directors of Kent State’s National Writing Project (sponsored by UC/Berkeley).

A New Jersey native, he received his doctorate from the University of Iowa, Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University (high honors), and his B. A. from Seton Hall University (with honors). He has taught on nearly every grade level, from preschool to graduate school, and has held positions at the American College in Istanbul, Turkey, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, the University of Maine (Farmington), and the Center for Literature and Medicine (Hiram College/Northeast Ohio College of Medicine), where he received a fellowship to research the intersection of the arts and the practice of medicine and healing.

He is the recipient of Kent State University’s Distinguished Teaching Award, Kent State’s Student Choice Award, and the Arbuthnot Award from the International Reading Association for outstanding university teaching.

Manna is a former member of the executive board of the Children’s Literature Association, former Director of Publications for the Association, and former editor of various columns in the Children’s Literature Association Quarterly.

He is co-author of Children’s Literature for Health Awareness and co-editor of Many Faces, Many Voices: Multicultural Literary Experiences for Youth and Art and Story: The Role of Illustration in Multicultural Literature for Youth. He has published numerous articles, book reviews, and book chapters on literature, drama, and teaching both in the U.S.A. and abroad.

The children’s picture book he co-authored with Soula Mitakidou, Mr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folktale (Simon & Schuster, 1997; Aladdin Paperbacks, 2015) was selected a 1998 Notable Children’s Book of the Year by the American Library Association was listed among the one hundred best books of the year by the New York Public Library, and was the recipient of the 1997 Marion Vannett Ridgway Award for first-time authors and illustrators.

In 2002, he co-authored a collection of twenty stories titled Folktales from Greece: A Treasury of Delights (Greenwood Press World Folklore Series). His most recent picture book, The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece (Schwartz & Wade/Random House 2011) was selected a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2012.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So yes indeed, text-wise, I have definitely very much both appreciated and enjoyed Anthony Manna and Soula Mitakidou's The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece (although I do wish that aside from having the utilised literary sources of this Greek Cinderella variant mentioned, there had also been some information and details regarding the genesis and development of Cinderella-type folktales in general provided, but hey, at least an author's note with more than adequate source acknowledgments has actually been included, and that the authors have also shown how and why they changed certain aspects of the original tales to make their own orphan more active and self-determined is definitely a bonus). And yes, I certainly do really and very much love this Greek Cinderella version, for it contains many of the to and for me so important and essential aspects of the Grimms' tale, of their Aschenputtel (such as the spirit of the deceased mother helping the young orphan), but indeed WITHOUT the violence, without the amputations and such (and while I do still much enjoy the Grimms' Aschenputtel and have actually always much preferred it to Charles Perrault's Cinderella with its pumpkins, fairy godmother and mice, I do have to say that I will probably consider this here Greek tale of The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece as a new personal favourite, as it includes everything I have always loved about the Grimms' Aschenputtel but without the nasty bloodiness of the cut-up toes/heels and the stepsisters having their eyes pecked out by the heroine's avian friends).

Now I do wish I could give The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece a four star ranking, as textually, in my opinion, it more than deserves this. However, The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece is a picture book and unfortunately, I have once again not really found Giselle Potter's accompanying illustrations all that much to my aesthetic liking. For whilst her sense of colour and how she depicts and renders landscapes, buildings and physical objects are descriptive, adept and visually pleasing, I most definitely and sadly once again have found the manner in which Giselle Potter draws and depicts human, but especially female faces as not really in any way to my personal tastes (with all of the female characters, from the nasty stepmother to even the young and supposedly oh so beautiful and graceful orphan having facial features that look old, and even at times rather unnatural). And thus, and although I do still very highly recommend The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece as a wonderful and readable Cinderella tale, I can and will only rank it with a high three stars, as Giselle Potter is simply not my favourite illustrator (and the manner in which she tends to depict human, but especially female faces, really and truly is a rather constant and painful irritant to and for my eyes).

[Valerie Lurquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story due to its differences from the traditional Cinderella. It is drawn from the classic greek tale, The Orphan, where a heroine who loses her mother as a child, becomes a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters. The difference here is that no fairy godmother steps in, instead it is mother nature who takes her place in giving her beautiful dresses, a wreath for her hair, and beautiful blue shoes. The Orphan hides these items in a trunk. A prince later arrives at her villiage, giving the orphan a chance to impress him with her beauty, leading to their happily ever after. I loved the details and illustrations in this story down to the glass slipper not just falling off as Cinderella is running, but it gets stuck in honey and wax on the steps of the church leading to the prince.

This book would be so fun to do with younger students in comparing and contrasting the traditional Cinderlla story to this Greek version. I cannot wait for my goddaughter to come and read this with her, as her and my husbands family is from Greece.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition retold by Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou, and illustrated by Giselle Potter.

[Charmie McKinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orphan:A Cinderella Story from Greece by Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou. Illustrated by Giselle Potter

"A child becomes an orphan when she loses her mother" according to Greek tales. One day cruel fate took her mother away. Her father remarried a woman who had two spoiled daughters. Cinderella referred to as the "orphan" throughout the book was mistreated by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. One day the orphan ran to the gravesite of her mother and cried out. Her mothers voice arose from the Earth giving the orphan sound advice. What I liked about this version of Cinderella was that the fairy godmother was replaced by Mother Nature. In addition, there was no magnificent ball that she had to be home by midnight, but church in which she had to leave immediately after service. She lost her slipper in a sticky mix of honey and wax! As with all Cinderella stories the orphan and the prince live happily ever after! The illustration were created with water color art. This is a great read aloud for student K-3. A creative way I would use this with other versions of Cinderella is to locate the different continents in which the stories take place.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have seen this book getting raves, and as a big folklore fan, I was eager to see why. I'm still not sure. This re-telling of the Cinderella story is set in Greece and I did like the variations it had: the dead mother blessed her daughter with gifts, the prince was attending church in the village, the girl rode animals made from clouds. I like that the story seemed more homespun. I wasn't crazy about the illustrations; even though their folk art style and color palette suited the story well. And looking at them, I guess I can't justify why they didn't appeal, they just didn't. This makes it sound like I didn't like the total package, and I did, it just didn't make my favorites of the year. It would make a good addition to a worldwide Cinderella unit.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not entirely satisfying.

[Hillary C · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece'' retold by Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou tells the story of a girl who is referred to as "the orphan" because in Greece, when a child's mother dies, she is considered an orphan. As in many other versions of the tale, her father remarries a woman who is mean-spirited and abusive, delegating the poor girl to wait on her and her two daughters hand and foot. Instead of the fairy godmother who appears in the Disney version, the orphan directly communicates with her mother at her gravesite. Anthony L. Manna is an author and an educator who has taught in many countries, including Greece. Christodoula "Soula" Mitakidou, a teacher and researcher, is from Greece and some of her research includes the teaching of Greek as a second language. On the first page, both authors cite the source of their retelling, noting that it was inspired by two Greek versions of Cinderella. They also explain how they diverged from the source material, in making their orphan more self-determined and independent as she seeks a better future for herself.
This story could be used in a second to fourth grade classroom to compare and contrast different versions of the same story.

[RLL52014_JennyAnderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Authors’ Note, Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidous shared that they were inspired by two Greek versions of the classic Cinderella story, and they pulled elements from both tales. In addition, they noted that many of the Greek Cinderellas shared the traditional role of waiting for their princes, but the authors opted to have their heroine determine her own fate.

In this version, a little girl’s mother dies, and if a child loses her mother, she is considered an orphan by many in Greece. Her father remarries, and the stepmother and two stepsisters are classically cruel. In the orphan girl’s despair, she cries out to her mother’s grave, and her mother’s voice reassures her. True to her mother’s promises of fortune, the orphan is given many gifts from Mother Nature’s children, including three beautiful dresses and a pair of tiny blue shoes.

When word comes that a prince will be attending the village’s church services, the stepmother and stepdaughters demand the father lavishly dress them for the event. Of the course the orphan girl is ordered to stay at home. After her family leaves, she sets out for the mass wearing her beautiful gifts. The prince is immediately taken with her, but she disappears before he can speak with her. The following Sunday, the prince instructs his guards to spread honey and wax on the church’s doorstep, and this time, one of her tiny shoes gets stuck in the mixture as she tries to leave early. The prince seeks to find the wearer of the tiny shoe and asks that every maiden must come to his palace to try it on. The orphan girl takes it upon herself to go to her prince, and the rest is happily ever after!

I really enjoyed the twists on the well-known version, especially the authors’ choice to create a self-determined Cinderella. The watercolor illustrations enhance the story, and the characters appear to be authentically Greek. The book is intended for younger elementary students, but I think both younger and upper elementary students would enjoy comparing and contrasting the various Cinderella elements, especially using other cultures’ versions for a wide-study.

[Diana Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this different version of a cinderella story. It was very interesting and I liked some of the twists it had. I liked that the mother was her source of help and not a god-mother. The girl's mother showed a lot of love and care for her daughter before she passed. It's interesting to see how other cultures view things. The book is titled The Orphan but she wasn't really an orphan; in greece the loss of a mother means you might as well be known as an orphan. It not only portrays love but also the hate that the stepmother had. It shows real emotion and grief that the girl was feeling when she lost her mother. My favorite part was the illustrations when mother nature came to life and handed her the gifts. It shows all aspects of mother nature like the sun, moon, stars, meadows, and seas. I had never seen it expressed that way. I also like how instead of a dance she meets her prince in church. I didn't expect a different version to be that different but this book definitely stood out to me. I think it's a good way to open up imaginations because it shows a lot of nature coming to life. It also contained some rhyming and I also noticed some similies and metaphors. There was also some repitition in it as well.

Use in class: I would use it for children to learn about different versions and compare between the cultures and how they differ.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orphan
Ebook
The Orphan is Cinderella story from Greece. This was my first story that I had ever read from Greece. The story was very similar to the Cinderella stories we have heard in the United States with some added elements.
Cinderella is called an orphan in this story, not because she didn’t have a family, but solely because you are labeled an orphan when you lose your mother. Many of the Cinderella tales incorporate the animals as friends to Cinderella. This version the deceased mother speaks from the grave and tells Cinderella what to do. Instead of a fairy godmother, the mother sends gifts from Mother Nature to assist Cinderella in being able to attend the fancy ball.
What I liked about this version of Cinderella was that it incorporated the gifts from Mother Nature. I thought this could lead to discussion with students about what we receive from Mother Nature on a daily basis. I also thought it was neat that even though the mother had passed away, she was still an important character in the story.

[Kimberly Ehrlich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is another Cinderella retelling, but from Greece. There are several main differences, including no fairies in the story, and no ball, but instead church. Through these differences children can begin to make their inferences about the differences in culture. They can begin to ponder why there are no faeries in the story, and the teacher can introduce the pagan religion which existed before Christianity and was woven into many Western tales. Church is a good discussion because the importance of religion in these retellings is important to see. Why might it have been changed to church in Greece? Perhaps the children could research the major religion in the area and make inferences about how important religion is to the people here. All in all, this story provides enough similarities and cultural differences to make for a good compare and contrast between the stories.

[Mattie Maloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting how it was similar to the original Cinderella story but it had a Greek twist to it and some of its own elements. I liked it, it had many small hints of humor and the illustrations were good.

[Mara S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked out the e-book version of The Orphan by Anthony L Manna and Soula Mitakidou and illustrated by Giselle Potter. It is a picture book, and it is a Greek version of Cinderella. I checked out the book through Libby, which I have access to through my library. I read this book for a graduate course on children’s literature. The story is about a young girl referred to as “The Orphan.” In Greek culture, after someone’s mom dies, they are considered an orphan. Therefore, that is what her name is, despite having her father, stepmother, and two stepsisters. The authors make it clear “The Orphan” is a brunette, unlike the Disney blonde. Instead of a fairy godmother and animals transforming, The Orphan visits her mother’s grave and the mom speaks to her from the dead. Her fancy clothes and blue shoes are provided to her from the elements, like Day and Dawn. The Orphan meets the prince at church, not a ball, and she loses her slipper when his attendants put honey on beeswax paper at the church entrance. He finds her after searching for the second shoe across the kingdom, and they end up getting married. I overall liked this version of Cinderella. I learned a lot about Greek culture, such as the importance of the mother-child relationship. It is also clear that religion is important, as the prince and The Orphan meet at church. I also liked that hair color was addressed, as so many young girls see the blonde princess as the standard. There wasn’t a fairy godmother, but there was divine intervention of some sort as her mother was able to speak beyond the grave and the elements gave her presents. The illustrations were in color and were above and below the text. The illustrator did not make usage of double spreads or the gutters, and the illustrations themselves were small but powerful. The illustrator appears to have used watercolor, and especially the moments when The Orphan visits the cemetery the colors are deep and are meant to show intense emotion. The expressions on the faces of the characters are clear for the reader. I believe the style Potter illustrated in was folk art as there was that “primitive quality.” This book would be a great way to showcase multicultural folk tales, societal values, identity, theme, elements of plot, and the significance of setting. I would use it as a mentor text. This book falls under a fairy tale because of the magical elements in the cemetery. The e-book is a great way for kids to see the book up close. For example, I have a student with a significant eye disability, and she needs everything magnified and uses an iPad over a Chromebook.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co-authors Anthony L. Manna and Soula Mitakidou (sometimes also credited as Christodoula Mitakidou) and illustrator Giselle Potter, who previously collaborated on Mr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folktale , join forces again in this retelling of a Cinderella story from the Greek tradition. Loved and pampered by her own mother, whom the eponymous orphan had the misfortune to lose at a young age, our heroine is mistreated by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters. Taking strength from her midnight visit to her mother's grave, and the words her mother's spirit speaks to her, she is blessed with great gifts by Mother Nature, gifts she uses when visiting the local church while the prince is in attendance. Through these means she enchants that royal, fleeing at the end of both services she attends, but leaving behind one of her slippers on the second occasion...

According to the brief authors' note at the beginning of this book, the story in The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece is taken from elements of two stories, found in Chrysoula Chatzitaki-Kapsomenou's The Modern Greek Folktale (Το νεοελληνικό λαϊκό παραμύθι) and Dimitrios Loukatos' Modern Greek Folk Texts. I am not familiar with those scholars (I am not sure they have been translated into English), but for my part, the story here put me strongly in mind of Fair, Brown & Trembling , an Irish variant of the Cinderella story which also features a heroine who attends mass on a succession of occasions, thanks to the intercession of a hen-wife. In any case, I found this one very enjoyable, appreciating both the story and the stylized artwork from Giselle Potter. Her work is not always my cup of tea, aesthetically speaking, but is always interesting to look at. Recommended to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, to readers looking for international variants of Cinderella and/or for Greek folklore.

[Adrienne Riter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece written by Anthony L. Manna follows the traditional Cinderella story that children have grown to love, featuring Cinderella trying to rise above cruelty and find her place in the world, while her evil step mother and step sisters try and hide her from a prince looking for his true love. However, this multicultural reinvented version of Cinderella offers a new take on the traditional story in a way that offers an opportunity for children to use this version as a mirror or window into the Greek culture. Aspects of Greek culture are seamlessly integrated into the traditional story line, such as Mother Nature taking the role of the Fairy Godmother. In traditional Greek culture, elements of nature are thought to be mystical, powerful, and spiritual, so Mother Nature is a perfect substitution for the traditional Fairy Godmother. Other wonderful cultural elements are included in this diverse story that all children are sure to love.

Traditional Literature is often a unit taught in elementary school, and using multicultural and diverse versions of traditional literature stories, such as The Orphan, is a wonderful way to introduce students to new cultures, offer representation for other students, and incorporate more diverse read alouds in the classroom. Children are very familiar with the traditional plot lines, so the defining characteristics of traditional literature can still be taught using reinvented versions. The Orphan is a wonderful example of a diverse text that could be used in place of less diverse titles to teach Traditional Literature units and content.

[MIchelle Wissler · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. The connection in this book is that it takes place in Greece as compared to taking place in the United States The main idea is the same within both cultures.
2. Observation; The simple observation that I see is where this takes place.
3. The question that I see in this book is why is she considered to be an orphan when only her mom dies in the book?
4. The surprise is this book is how anyone can relate to this. But with the help of Nature's blessings, the orphan was showered with gifts: brilliance from the Sun, beauty from the Moon, gracefulness from the Dawn—and even a tiny pair of blue shoes from the Sea.
5. My opinions I really enjoyed reading this different version of a cinderella story. It was very interesting and I liked some of the twists it had. I liked that the mother was her source of help and not a god-mother. The girl's mother showed a lot of love and care for her daughter before she passed. It's interesting to see how other cultures view things.

[Clare Swapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

For early elementary readers, this retelling of the traditional Greek variant of Cinderella is firmly rooted in the culture through the illustrations of Greek sayings, landscapes, architecture, and clothing styles. The common Cinderella story motifs found in this variant include a small shoe, a girl fleeing the scene, a young sister who is mistreated, a wicked stepmother, and a mother who provides magical aid, from beyond the grave in this case. In this retelling, the Cinderella character has more agency than in many versions. She leaves the house to go find her prince and uses her intelligence to succeed, rather than waiting on him to come rescue her. The themes of the story include the struggle of good versus evil, the pursuit of happiness, and the religious values of the Greek people.

[Carmen McCanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orphan: A Cinderella Story from Greece, is a wonderfully written book with beautiful illustrations about a girl who looses her mother. Her father then marries a new woman who is very mean to her and takes everything away from her. This story is different from the traditional story of Cinderella, because in this book, the orphan is given gifts from nature, like the sun and the moon and a pair of blue shoes from the sea. The Prince in this Greek town notices her and he now only has eyes for her.

I read this book on Youtube and I think it would be a great book to use in a compare and contrast unit for elementary students or even during a read aloud book for students.

[Briah Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Greek take on Cinderella is truly wonderful and magical. It's elements, beautiful water colored pictures, and flowing rhymes bring to life a classic story in its own new way. I love how Greek culture is poured into it, and the little details in the pictures and the handwritten dialogue is gorgeous. A great book for storytime! I also love how deeply connected the story is with nature.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a Cinderella story with a Greece twist. One day Cinderella was left as an Orphan. Her stepmother was very mean and counted every drop of water that Cinderella drank. Cinderella is helped along by Nature's blessings. When the prince comes to the Village he only looks at Cinderella. A great book for a compare and contrast of the Cinderella stories.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retelling of the classic fairy tale with a Greek twist. In this version, the deceased mother taps Mother Nature, etc. to help her orphaned daughter. The prince attends a church service and sees her there. The slipper remains though it's blue rather than glass.
Manna spins the tale to hold readers' interest.
Illustrations bring life to the tale.

[Bonnie Arriola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mleh

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite Cinderella retelling, but it is unique from the others.

[Katrina Lybbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this re-telling of Cinderella. It was different from other versions in a unique way.

[Noreen Farooqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this version of Cinderella. The orphan is determined and is sets out to get her prince in the end instead of passively waiting for him and the shoe.

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting cultural tidbits

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn't heard this version of Cinderella before. I liked the variances.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think the illustrator liked this story.

[Katie Merkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this version of Cinderella. The illustrations are beautiful.