What do you think?
Rate this book
Cinderella
Adapted primarily from The Arthur Rackham Fairy Book and The Blue Fairy Book, a small bird promises to grant the story's heroine her wish. The illustrations for this story depict an imaginary setting around the time of Voltaire, who lived in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France.
Hardcover
First published August 1, 2000
63 people are currently reading
2647 people want to read
About the author
Kinuko Y. Craft
61 books249 followers* Complete list of her book covers.
Kinuko Y. Craft is one of the most widely respected and well known fantasy artists in the United States today. Her past commissions have included paintings for the book covers of many well known fantasy authors, opera posters, fairy tale books and covers for many national magazines. During her career she has become known for meticulous attention to detail, a passionate love of fine art and a deep knowledge of art history.
Kinuko Y. Craft considers her self a story teller. Her fairy tale books are currently distributed in the USA, other English language countries, Europe, Greece, China and Korea. Her art is also widely licensed on calendars, posters, greeting cards and other consumer goods. Her work has been widely exhibited and is now in private collections in New York City, Atlanta GA, Santa Barbara CA, Dallas TX, Connecticut, San Francisco CA, Italy, Japan and Greece. It can also be found in public collections at The National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, The Cornish Colony Museum in Windsor, VT, The Museum of American Illustration in New York City, The National Geographic Society and other corporate collections.
Craft is a graduate, BFA 1962, of The Kanazawa Municipal College of Fine and Industrial Art (known in Japan as The Kanazawa Bidai). She was born in Japan and came to the United States in the early sixties where she continued studies in design and illustration at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year and a half. Subsequently, she worked for several years in well known Chicago art studios. By the end of the decade her work was in wide demand and she had begun her long and successful career as a free-lance illustrator. For most of this time she worked in editorial and advertising markets where her work regularly appeared in national magazines and newspapers.
Since the mid 1990’s, she has concentrated on children's picture books, fantasy book jackets and poster designs.
Craft's work has been recognized repeatedly by professional art and design publications, competitions and shows, garnering numerous awards over the years.
Kinuko Y. Craft is one of the most widely respected and well known fantasy artists in the United States today. Her past commissions have included paintings for the book covers of many well known fantasy authors, opera posters, fairy tale books and covers for many national magazines. During her career she has become known for meticulous attention to detail, a passionate love of fine art and a deep knowledge of art history.
Kinuko Y. Craft considers her self a story teller. Her fairy tale books are currently distributed in the USA, other English language countries, Europe, Greece, China and Korea. Her art is also widely licensed on calendars, posters, greeting cards and other consumer goods. Her work has been widely exhibited and is now in private collections in New York City, Atlanta GA, Santa Barbara CA, Dallas TX, Connecticut, San Francisco CA, Italy, Japan and Greece. It can also be found in public collections at The National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, The Cornish Colony Museum in Windsor, VT, The Museum of American Illustration in New York City, The National Geographic Society and other corporate collections.
Craft is a graduate, BFA 1962, of The Kanazawa Municipal College of Fine and Industrial Art (known in Japan as The Kanazawa Bidai). She was born in Japan and came to the United States in the early sixties where she continued studies in design and illustration at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for a year and a half. Subsequently, she worked for several years in well known Chicago art studios. By the end of the decade her work was in wide demand and she had begun her long and successful career as a free-lance illustrator. For most of this time she worked in editorial and advertising markets where her work regularly appeared in national magazines and newspapers.
Since the mid 1990’s, she has concentrated on children's picture books, fantasy book jackets and poster designs.
Craft's work has been recognized repeatedly by professional art and design publications, competitions and shows, garnering numerous awards over the years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
February 22, 2021
If you want to read this beloved fairy tale to yourself or to children, then you must read this particular book! The illustrations themselves are exquisite! Although it is a little lengthy, this story held ALL of my students' (yes, even the boys'!) attention throughout, even if I had to complete reading it aloud another time! I HIGHLY recommend this book!
April 1, 2021
This was a favourite library borrow when mine were small, thoroughly enjoyed by both male and female offspring, this classic fairytale was both well told and beautifully illustrated. The illustrations are luminous, they are like looking at a painting or a dream, there’s so much detail, they have a magical quality that helps you to slip into the story and be there.
We were so pleased to find this copy in a library sale, although a bit tatty this is still a wonderful read.
We were so pleased to find this copy in a library sale, although a bit tatty this is still a wonderful read.
February 6, 2017
K.Y. Craft is an angel sent down from the heavens, solely to bring us happiness and art. Her talent is otherworldly; no way an average human could draw something like this
or this
or this
and especially not this
or this
or this
and especially not this
July 6, 2019
With thousands of known variants worldwide, Cinderella is the quintessential fairy-tale, and needs little introduction. This lavishly-illustrated version, with paintings that are consciously modeled on the aesthetic motifs of seventeenth and eighteenth-century France, serves as a showcase for the talent of the marvelous Kinuko Craft. Beautiful full-page plates are paired with text that is embellished with decorative borders and ornamental initial letters. The painting in which Cinderella is pouring water, as well as the two-page spread in which the fairy godmother is transforming mice into horses, are particularly fine, with very sharp and expressive faces. I was disappointed to note however, that some of the other illustrations, though beautiful as a whole, lack a real sense of definition when it comes to the faces - they appear almost blurry. This is unfortunate, as it is such a joy to pore over Kinuko Craft's paintings, which are usually pleasing in both their totality and their details...
The text of this retelling is largely taken from the version found in Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book , although the language has been significantly modernized. The element of the injured bluebird, which turns out to be the fairy godmother, is taken from the variant found in the Brothers Grimm (Aschenputtel). All this information is helpfully supplied on the title page, although no indication is given as to who actually wrote the text, and is therefore responsible for the adaptation and synthesizing of these two variants. Craft herself, perhaps?
The text of this retelling is largely taken from the version found in Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Book , although the language has been significantly modernized. The element of the injured bluebird, which turns out to be the fairy godmother, is taken from the variant found in the Brothers Grimm (Aschenputtel). All this information is helpfully supplied on the title page, although no indication is given as to who actually wrote the text, and is therefore responsible for the adaptation and synthesizing of these two variants. Craft herself, perhaps?
October 19, 2019
The stunning cover of this book is what drew me in. Cinderella, illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft, is a lovely, classic take on the familiar fairy tale. It's fairly heavy on the text for a picture book, but it reads like a bedtime story and doesn't tax the reader at all. The illustrations are intricately detailed, and though the highlight is probably the cover image, there is still plenty to look at and enjoy within. The pictures have an old-fashioned look to them, which perfectly complements the classic story.
I'd definitely recommend this one to those looking for good fairy tale retellings, especially those who like versions that stay close to the original.
Quotable moment:
I'd definitely recommend this one to those looking for good fairy tale retellings, especially those who like versions that stay close to the original.
Quotable moment:
April 8, 2023
Have you ever felt like you stepped into a dream you never want to end while reading a book?
I felt that... strongly... reading this exquisite book that baptized my eyes in velvet wonder. I was under a spell that commenced with my first look at the beautiful cover... it is magnificently detailed, bathed in color and light that engaged my vision as are the pictures that are laced throughout the book.
This book is such a feast for the bits of imagination that lay untapped within my unsuspecting mind- the pure magic that is this book wove it's way into my heart. I was drawn to the written story, to the illustrations, and to the detailed formatting. This is an absolute treasure for a connoisseur that understands and respects the 'special books' that look as though they were touched by the hands of angels in heaven.
Yes... I definitely recommend this lovely book.
5/5
I felt that... strongly... reading this exquisite book that baptized my eyes in velvet wonder. I was under a spell that commenced with my first look at the beautiful cover... it is magnificently detailed, bathed in color and light that engaged my vision as are the pictures that are laced throughout the book.
This book is such a feast for the bits of imagination that lay untapped within my unsuspecting mind- the pure magic that is this book wove it's way into my heart. I was drawn to the written story, to the illustrations, and to the detailed formatting. This is an absolute treasure for a connoisseur that understands and respects the 'special books' that look as though they were touched by the hands of angels in heaven.
Yes... I definitely recommend this lovely book.
5/5
February 17, 2018
Fair warning: This review may have an unpopular opinion.
This is a lovely illustrated classic from my childhood. Back then I remember being obsessed with the pictures and the colors. The author did an amazing job capturing all of the intricate details on the clothes and backgrounds to help illustrate the story.
This edition sort of reminded me of the movie Ever After. There are many differences but some similarities as well. Cinderella’s father has died after marrying a new wife with two daughters. Cinderella then becomes a servant and is treated poorly. She meets the prince earlier in the story when she helps a bird that is injured. When it comes time for a ball, she wants to go but of course her “family” will not let her go. The bird from earlier shows up and happens to be a fairy godmother and because of Cinderella’s kindness, by helping the godmother when she was a wounded bird, she helps Cinderella go.
I am not going to explain any more of the story but say that the main moral I got from it was…
Literally. This seems to be a theme with Cinderella stories. Because of Cinderella’s kindness she was rewarded by the fairy godmother. While this is a lovely idea it is not always true. Cinderella is kind throughout the story and never once is rude or impolite. And there is something to be said for that. Sometimes it is better to not say anything when others lash out at us and just show them kindness. On the other side, she may have gone to the ball but she never really stood up for herself. But here is an unpopular idea: Did she really need to? (In this story I mean not in a real life situation). In this day an age many may look at this story and think “She never stood up for herself.” While this is true, sometimes it is BETTER not to. Am I saying it's ok to be abused NO am I saying that it is ok to be treated like crap NO. In those situations in real life, yes a person should stand up for themselves. What I AM saying is sometimes (like in this fairytale), our character and how we react to a situation is more important then showing someone how wrong they are or how they wronged us. Sometimes our character and good attitude is all it takes. Cinderella handled the jealousy and rudeness of her stepsisters with grace. Grace people. At the end she even went as far as to forgive them. Sometimes it’s not about getting even but about letting go of our offences. And that is what she did. She forgave those that hurt her and never treated her like family. That in my opinion, that is amazing. And beautiful.
Again, in real life, if someone is being treated like she was in this story, something more legal should be done, like calling the police. But as a fairy tale, the moral of grace and forgiveness, of love and kindness is still a really powerful message. Yes it has pretty dresses and pictures, yes it may look a bit shallow on the surface but underneath all that is something more. One that I learned while rereading this as an adult. Maybe the next time I feel like I was treated unfairly I will take a look at myself and what I can do to make the best of a difficult situation. How I can use my attitude and character and forgive those that have wronged me, instead of pointing the finger. Giving grace to those that have wronged me can not only set them free, but myself as well. After all bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. No thanks. I’ll stick to drinking cream soda…it tastes so much better!
This is a lovely illustrated classic from my childhood. Back then I remember being obsessed with the pictures and the colors. The author did an amazing job capturing all of the intricate details on the clothes and backgrounds to help illustrate the story.
This edition sort of reminded me of the movie Ever After. There are many differences but some similarities as well. Cinderella’s father has died after marrying a new wife with two daughters. Cinderella then becomes a servant and is treated poorly. She meets the prince earlier in the story when she helps a bird that is injured. When it comes time for a ball, she wants to go but of course her “family” will not let her go. The bird from earlier shows up and happens to be a fairy godmother and because of Cinderella’s kindness, by helping the godmother when she was a wounded bird, she helps Cinderella go.
I am not going to explain any more of the story but say that the main moral I got from it was…
Literally. This seems to be a theme with Cinderella stories. Because of Cinderella’s kindness she was rewarded by the fairy godmother. While this is a lovely idea it is not always true. Cinderella is kind throughout the story and never once is rude or impolite. And there is something to be said for that. Sometimes it is better to not say anything when others lash out at us and just show them kindness. On the other side, she may have gone to the ball but she never really stood up for herself. But here is an unpopular idea: Did she really need to? (In this story I mean not in a real life situation). In this day an age many may look at this story and think “She never stood up for herself.” While this is true, sometimes it is BETTER not to. Am I saying it's ok to be abused NO am I saying that it is ok to be treated like crap NO. In those situations in real life, yes a person should stand up for themselves. What I AM saying is sometimes (like in this fairytale), our character and how we react to a situation is more important then showing someone how wrong they are or how they wronged us. Sometimes our character and good attitude is all it takes. Cinderella handled the jealousy and rudeness of her stepsisters with grace. Grace people. At the end she even went as far as to forgive them. Sometimes it’s not about getting even but about letting go of our offences. And that is what she did. She forgave those that hurt her and never treated her like family. That in my opinion, that is amazing. And beautiful.
Again, in real life, if someone is being treated like she was in this story, something more legal should be done, like calling the police. But as a fairy tale, the moral of grace and forgiveness, of love and kindness is still a really powerful message. Yes it has pretty dresses and pictures, yes it may look a bit shallow on the surface but underneath all that is something more. One that I learned while rereading this as an adult. Maybe the next time I feel like I was treated unfairly I will take a look at myself and what I can do to make the best of a difficult situation. How I can use my attitude and character and forgive those that have wronged me, instead of pointing the finger. Giving grace to those that have wronged me can not only set them free, but myself as well. After all bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. No thanks. I’ll stick to drinking cream soda…it tastes so much better!
July 9, 2016
The first letter of each text of page is done like an illuminated manuscript. I love the little details such as lizards climbing on the golden reeds.
Cinderella’s ball gown is in a whole new category. The dance scene looks as though it is taking place at Versailles. Cinderellas second ball gown is even more stunning than the first. (This version follows the traditional story of two nights.) On the final page, where Cinderella and the Prince pose with his dog, the painting looks like it stepped off a museum wall.
On the title page it reads “the text for this book was adapted primarily from the Arthur Rackham Fairy Book and Andrew Lang’s The Blue Fairy Book.” On the first two pages we encounter the words haughty, assigned, chambers, mournful, lame, gallant, noble, distracted, huddled, wandered, humble, and hastily. The vocabulary is as rich as the illustrations.
This is the kind of book an older child would read or a parent might share and discuss with their child. If you want your child to experience an authentic Cinderella story, this is the one to choose.
This review was the last of A Month of Cinderellas on my blog https://bferrante.wordpress.com/. I barely scratched the surface of what picture books are available. I didn’t even approach the topic of young adults and adult contemporary, fantasy, and science fiction novels based on the Cinderella concept. No matter how independent women become, some version of this story will always exist for little girls to enjoy and imagine.
Cinderella’s ball gown is in a whole new category. The dance scene looks as though it is taking place at Versailles. Cinderellas second ball gown is even more stunning than the first. (This version follows the traditional story of two nights.) On the final page, where Cinderella and the Prince pose with his dog, the painting looks like it stepped off a museum wall.
On the title page it reads “the text for this book was adapted primarily from the Arthur Rackham Fairy Book and Andrew Lang’s The Blue Fairy Book.” On the first two pages we encounter the words haughty, assigned, chambers, mournful, lame, gallant, noble, distracted, huddled, wandered, humble, and hastily. The vocabulary is as rich as the illustrations.
This is the kind of book an older child would read or a parent might share and discuss with their child. If you want your child to experience an authentic Cinderella story, this is the one to choose.
This review was the last of A Month of Cinderellas on my blog https://bferrante.wordpress.com/. I barely scratched the surface of what picture books are available. I didn’t even approach the topic of young adults and adult contemporary, fantasy, and science fiction novels based on the Cinderella concept. No matter how independent women become, some version of this story will always exist for little girls to enjoy and imagine.
March 20, 2017
I recently discovered the beautiful illustrations of Kinuko Y. Craft. Her art is beautiful, mesmerizing. Upon this discovery, I decided I needed to add her magnificent book illustrations to my collection. There are quite a few. I started with four of the loveliest. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Cupid and Psyche, and Beauty and the Beast. I can't begin to describe how gorgeous each book actually is. I would've loved these as a young girl and probably worn out the pages. So, I'm collecting these books for my granddaughters. While I love the Disney versions of each of these fairytales, make no mistake, you will not find talking mice or Sebastian the cat here. What you will find is sheer delight between the pages. Prepare to be artistically impressed. In fact, I like this telling of Cinderella best. And, I think every little girl in the world would absolutely agree with me. Stunning!
May 18, 2009
Lavish retelling! Gorgeous illustrations with 17th/18th Century French flare. That said, not sure how much I would have liked this as a kid--certainly the gowns are gorgeous, but Cinderella and her prince just look a bit too "old" and hard to relate to; the beauty is certainly of another age and not what we tend to think of today. Of course, this is not reason not to expose children to this exquisite style of art. It's just my own personal opinion retrospective of my own young self.
January 1, 2017
This is one of my favorite versions of the classic Cinderella tale, and Kinuko Y. Craft's illustrations are exquisite.
July 17, 2021
Absolutely magical, exquisitely illustrated in the style of 17th- and 18th-century France. I loved how Craft didn't try to make the characters pretty in today's style, but allowed the conventions of her chosen time period to dictate beauty standards. The fairy godmother was the only one who looked "out of it," like something from a Kay Nielsen illustration, but she felt as magical and unusual as she should be, rather than the sonsy standard we know from other retellings.
May 27, 2020
the illustrations are to die for
😍
😍
September 3, 2023
Cinderella (My Kindle Review)
A very regal and elegant retelling, with elegantly painted illustrations, of the classic fairy tale we all know and love. A- (91%/Excellent)
A very regal and elegant retelling, with elegantly painted illustrations, of the classic fairy tale we all know and love. A- (91%/Excellent)
February 16, 2024
I never get tired of hearing the story of Cinderella in it's various renditions, but this one stood out for being beautifully illustrated. This version combined elements of the story in the best way possible. This Cinderella deserves a place on the shelves of anyone who loves beautiful, good, and true books.
May 21, 2023
I read this book in my audio app. My local librarian recommended this book.
This book told the traditional Cinderella theme. Cinderella's father marries a woman with two daughters. Cinderella was the one with all the chores. One day she was way home from the market and stopped to help a bluebird due to having an injured wing. The prince riding his horse thought Cinderella was injured, so he stopped to check on her. They had a small conversation, and Cinderella left home. Cinderella finds out that the prince is hosting a ball, but she can not attend. Suddenly a blue fairy appears and helps Cinderella attend the ball. The blue fairy was the bird that she rescued in the woods.
I enjoyed this book. The illustrations were beautiful and compelling. The images inspired the seventeenth century and gave us a glimpse of how literature was represented.
This book told the traditional Cinderella theme. Cinderella's father marries a woman with two daughters. Cinderella was the one with all the chores. One day she was way home from the market and stopped to help a bluebird due to having an injured wing. The prince riding his horse thought Cinderella was injured, so he stopped to check on her. They had a small conversation, and Cinderella left home. Cinderella finds out that the prince is hosting a ball, but she can not attend. Suddenly a blue fairy appears and helps Cinderella attend the ball. The blue fairy was the bird that she rescued in the woods.
I enjoyed this book. The illustrations were beautiful and compelling. The images inspired the seventeenth century and gave us a glimpse of how literature was represented.
May 18, 2015
The book, Cinderella illustrated by K.V. Craft, shares an adaptation of the traditional story of Cinderella. Cinderella is a cinder girl who cares for her two step sisters graciously after her father’s death. On one magical night, Cinderella is greeted by a fairy that transforms her for the night’s ball at the castle. At the ball, the Prince falls in love with Cinderella. At the stroke of midnight, she disappears, but leaves one glass slipper behind.
A truly magical part of this adaption of Cinderella are the illustrations. One each page, the first letter on a page is an intricately detailed illustration. Craft also illustrates large crowds where the reader can see individual faces in the crowd mesmerized by Cinderella’s beauty. These breathtaking illustrations are appropriate for readers ages preschool to 7. I would highly recommend this book to interested readers.
A truly magical part of this adaption of Cinderella are the illustrations. One each page, the first letter on a page is an intricately detailed illustration. Craft also illustrates large crowds where the reader can see individual faces in the crowd mesmerized by Cinderella’s beauty. These breathtaking illustrations are appropriate for readers ages preschool to 7. I would highly recommend this book to interested readers.
February 3, 2019
The storyline of this re-telling is more sophisticated in comparison with other 32-page picture books I have read. Then again this "Cinderella" is not merely a children's book. This is for all ages. The illustrations are absolutely enchanting. I gave a lot of attention to the visual part of this book. Each picture speaks thousands of words. One could stare at them forever.
July 13, 2024
the last of kinuko’s triad of classical princesses (the others being sleeping beauty and beauty and the beast). this has kinuko craft’s trademark illuminated letters and golden-lit oil-painting illustrations. the best panel from this was the second night, when cinderella and the prince meet by a lily pond. she wears an opalescent 17th-century dress with full-lacy sleeves, adorned w cherry-red jewels, delicate blue-bells, champagne-pink bows, hundreds of pearls, and a cerulean butterfly (serving as the centerpiece).
December 22, 2020
Another breathtakingly beautiful book that made my soul happy. I have very fond memories of Craft's books from my childhood and I am grateful to be able to share these lovely books with my little girl now. She sat there after we had finished and flipped through the pages saying, "so beautiful" again and again.
July 28, 2020
This book is good. The story is classic and lovely and flows beautifully. The illustrations range from okay, to good, with two that I thought were great. I imagine those that have never seen a Kinuko Y. Craft fairy tale would think this book is great. I however seek out her work and believe her illustrations in 12 Dancing Princesses and Beauty and The Beast are more polished.
December 10, 2018
How does one not notice blood pooling in a slipper?
August 6, 2024
I feel so lucky to have noticed that my local library was giving this book away and I was able to grab it for my collection! Lovely classic story and K.Y Crafts amazing illustration can't be beat!
August 16, 2017
A riqueza deste livro está sem dúvida nas ilustrações.
Este ilustrador é alguém fora de série.
A atenção aos pormenores e às cores utilizadas fazem com que este livro seja uma obra de arte.
Só um aparte - a minha mãe passou e curiosa pelo que eu estava tão atenta a ler/ver espreitou e disse "só as imagens já valem a pena"
Recomendo MUITO estas edições maravilhosas.
Este ilustrador é alguém fora de série.
A atenção aos pormenores e às cores utilizadas fazem com que este livro seja uma obra de arte.
Só um aparte - a minha mãe passou e curiosa pelo que eu estava tão atenta a ler/ver espreitou e disse "só as imagens já valem a pena"
Recomendo MUITO estas edições maravilhosas.
December 12, 2021
This is a very short and sweet retelling of the Cinderella story, which I reached for because I needed something soft and comforting. What really makes this book beautiful though are the stunning, rich illustrations.
November 16, 2022
Craft’s fairytale focusing on Cinderella’s kind and gentle soul is as beautiful as her gorgeous illustrations.
November 20, 2009
I'll admit that there are so many versions of Cinderella that it must be difficult to devise a new and extra-special retelling. I believe this attempt by Craft is quite good - not great, perhaps - but still very good.
The illustrations, as always with Craft's work, are a feast for the eyes. Craft has an incredible eye for color and detail! The two-page spreads left me wanting even more.
The story is fairly detailed, though I felt more detail would have been even better. And while Craft gives a sense of a bygone age with her choice of words and her characters' speech, sometimes I found myself tripping over the words (and though I appreciate the eloquent words of the prince, they did feel a little too sappy at times).
I think, perhaps, I was hoping for too much from this retelling: I would have liked more on why Cinderella was so kind, and why she put up with her step-family, I would have liked more clarification of why her slippers did not disappear after the stroke of midnight, and certainly I would have liked a better resolution with the step-family than the one presented here.
That said, I thought the final page was sweet, the addition of the prince also falling for "the cinder girl" Cinderella a good one, and especially the twist about the bluebird (both in what the bluebird is, and how Craft used this to illustrate how kind Cinderella is).
Also, a point of note, this is a very G-rated version. No Grimm whatsoever in this retelling.
All in all a very enchanting read, but just know that it doesn't go too far beyond the basic tale.
The illustrations, as always with Craft's work, are a feast for the eyes. Craft has an incredible eye for color and detail! The two-page spreads left me wanting even more.
The story is fairly detailed, though I felt more detail would have been even better. And while Craft gives a sense of a bygone age with her choice of words and her characters' speech, sometimes I found myself tripping over the words (and though I appreciate the eloquent words of the prince, they did feel a little too sappy at times).
I think, perhaps, I was hoping for too much from this retelling: I would have liked more on why Cinderella was so kind, and why she put up with her step-family, I would have liked more clarification of why her slippers did not disappear after the stroke of midnight, and certainly I would have liked a better resolution with the step-family than the one presented here.
That said, I thought the final page was sweet, the addition of the prince also falling for "the cinder girl" Cinderella a good one, and especially the twist about the bluebird (both in what the bluebird is, and how Craft used this to illustrate how kind Cinderella is).
Also, a point of note, this is a very G-rated version. No Grimm whatsoever in this retelling.
All in all a very enchanting read, but just know that it doesn't go too far beyond the basic tale.
February 17, 2016
This version of Cinderella is adapted from the Wilhelm Grimm German version of Cinderella. In this version there is a small bluebird which Cinderella helps after it becomes wounded in the woods. Later the bluebird returns to Cinderella and turns into the fairy godmother that helps her attend the ball. The illustrations are beautiful in the book. The illustrator, K. Y. Graft, has created a magical and romantic feel through the illustrations. He uses a rich color palette that makes the pages seem to glow with light creating the magical feel. The fairy godmother is shown in a mix of blue, violet and white, which creates a feeling a mysterious blue bird. Cinderella and the Prince are shown with embraces and the light focusing on them in the darkness of the night, creating a building sense of romance. This book is a must read because the illustrations are mesmerizing.
I would use this book in K-5th grade classrooms. The story is adapted from one of Germany’s original versions. This would be a nice book to compare with the French version, “Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper,” to develop the growing sense of the motifs that make up the tale type of Cinderella.
I would use this book in K-5th grade classrooms. The story is adapted from one of Germany’s original versions. This would be a nice book to compare with the French version, “Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper,” to develop the growing sense of the motifs that make up the tale type of Cinderella.
October 31, 2020
Wow, Cinderella by Kinuko Y. Craft is visually breathtaking. The illustrations are very detailed, realistic, and beautiful. I was drawn to this text because of these traits. It also just has that fairytale aesthetic to it. The font, the magic of the illustrations, and the text itself are very well done.
This is a more elaborate adaptation of the original text. It was inspired by 18th century France and it is very evident. The story is filled with rich descriptions and the illustrations have a very opulent vibe. I would recommend reading this text with intermediate grades (4th and 5th) and middle schoolers. Many lessons can be drawn from this beautiful story. It is my favorite retelling of the classic fairytale. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to be amazed.
It also received five stars on Barnes & Noble’s website. Similar to my opinion, the other reviewers enjoyed the beauty of the illustrations.
This is a more elaborate adaptation of the original text. It was inspired by 18th century France and it is very evident. The story is filled with rich descriptions and the illustrations have a very opulent vibe. I would recommend reading this text with intermediate grades (4th and 5th) and middle schoolers. Many lessons can be drawn from this beautiful story. It is my favorite retelling of the classic fairytale. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to be amazed.
It also received five stars on Barnes & Noble’s website. Similar to my opinion, the other reviewers enjoyed the beauty of the illustrations.
April 8, 2025
The illustrations are lovely, and the story is your typical Cinderella.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews