What Is the Story of Cinderella?

What Is the Story Of?

by Dana Meachen Rau, Who HQ

How did the story of Cinderella, her glass slipper, the pumpkin carriage, and a magical night at the ball with a prince come to be? Find out in this dazzling book that explores the many different versions of Cinderella's story across different authors, movies, cultures, and more!

Who HQ brings you the stories behind the most well-known characters of our time in the What Is the Story Of? series!

Did you know that the first version of Cinderella's story was written two thousand years ago in Greece? It was about a young woman named Rhodopis and her missing sandal. Since then, many versions of this fairy tale have been written featuring a poor girl whose kindness led to her dreams coming true. China, Italy, France, and Germany all have distinct versions of Cinderella's story that author Dana Rau explains within this exciting nonfiction book for fans of the beloved princess. Young readers will learn over a dozen different versions of Cinderella's story, including the most famous versions by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Walt Disney, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Fans will also get to know the many different actresses who have brought Cinderella to life, including Brandy Norwood, Julie Andrews, Drew Barrymore, and Anne Hathaway.

Genres: Nonfiction, Fairy Tales, Middle Grade

112 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Dana Meachen Rau is an author, editor, and illustrator of children's books. She has written more than 100 books for children, many of them nonfiction in subjects including astronomy, history, and geography, as well as numerous biographies. She lives in Burlington, Connecticut, with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all know the story of a the maiden, the fairy godmother, the glass slipper, and all of her many reincarnations. What is the story of Cinderella?

Did you know that the first written version of Cinderella was written by a Greek...about a maiden in Ancient Egypt who lost her shoe to a passing eagle, that was picked up by the pharaoh?

So begins the history of Cinderella. Some accounts were that she was based off a real person, though that is likely untrue.
Much of what contemporary audiences know about the Cinderella story actually come from French fairytale fan, Charles Perrault or a more uplifting version of the story that the Brothers Grimm from Germany tell. That's not the end of her story though, not by a long shot and the book continues to dive into the adaptations of her story.

That is partially for me why this particular What is/Who was series only received a 3. Yes, I know I'm a fairytale lover, but this particular one really only felt like it only gave me a little something I didn't know. Now, if you don't know or haven't seen all of the many adaptations of Cinderella, this is fan reader's dream. Does the book cover all of the adaptations of the story? No, just the big ones and if you are a fairytale fan, you'll likely know.
The text/vocabulary is good for reluctant readers but the history and citations make it a great resource for papers for Elementary school students.
To the What if/Who was series' credits, the book, like their others, does a nice job of answering a kid's question of 'Who is Cinderella'

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love fairy tales, and I love Cinderella. This was a really fun read and makes me want to watch (rewatch in many cases) these Cinderella movies:

1914 silent film Cinderella starring Mary Pickford

1957’s Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Julie Andrews

1965’s Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Lesley Ann Warren

1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Brandy Norwood

The 1998 movie Ever After: A Cinderella Story starring Drew Barrymore

The 2004 movie Ella Enchanted starring Anne Hathaway

The 2004 movie A Cinderella Story starring Hilary Duff

Disney's 2015 live-action Cinderella with Lily James

The 2021 movie Cinderella starring Camila Cabello

The 2022 movie Sneakerella

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea there were so many versions of Cinderella! I only knew the Grimm version and “Aschenputtel.”

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many incredible versions of a beloved story. I always loved reading fairy tales from around the world. Loved learning more about how this one started.

[Lillie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book constantly told almost every Cinderella story and it kind of got boring

[Sylvia "Chivy" · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was also very interesting.
I enjoyed it.

Happy Reading 📚
Happy Listening 🎧

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise look at the origins of the Cinderella story and variations throughout cultures. Also presents different movie versions of the story.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite fairy tales, so I enjoyed reading about past Cinderella stories that have been passed on in different countries over the years.