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Cinderella
Italian artist Roberto Innocenti's elegantly rendered illustrations breathe fresh air into this age-old tale of the girl who rises from the depths of sadness and misfortune to become the belle of the ball, surprising those who mistakenly think they know her.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2001
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602 people want to read
About the author
Charles Perrault
2,305 books433 followersCharles Perrault was a French author who laid foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, and whose best known tales, offered as if they were pre-existing folk tales, include: Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Bluebeard, Hop o' My Thumb), Diamonds and Toads, Patient Griselda, The Ridiculous Wishes...
Perrault's most famous stories are still in print today and have been made into operas, ballets (e.g., Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty), plays, musicals, and films, both live-action and animation.
The Brothers Grimm retold their own versions of some of Perrault's fairy tales.
Perrault's most famous stories are still in print today and have been made into operas, ballets (e.g., Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty), plays, musicals, and films, both live-action and animation.
The Brothers Grimm retold their own versions of some of Perrault's fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
December 27, 2022
هنا سندريلا امتلكت اعرض قدم و ليس اصغر قدم..إنها ليست كاملة اذن! !؟
اذن فالفتيات العاديات يستحققن امير الاحلام؟
اذن من تصبر ستنول؟
اذن لكل ظالم نهاية؟
سندريلا من📖 قصص التراث الشعبي الأوروبي و الاسيوى..ضاربة في القدم..عالجها عشرات الكتاب و لكن الفرنسي بيرلو يكسب للنهاية
الجمال في المرأة يتم تقديره دائما و لكن النبل و الطيبة و التسامح هم الابقى هذا هو مغزى قصتنا الخيالية..فمع بيرلو تجد ان الأناقة المؤقتة و الأحذية الزجاجية ليست هي ما جذب انتباه الأمير الا وقتيا..و لكنه في النهاية قبل سندريلا بحالتها المزرية الدائمة
هذه هي المعالجة التي تمت ترجمتها في المكتبة الخضراء
هذه هي المعالجة التي تبنتها افلام ديزني ..🎃
هذه هي المعالجة التي تبنتها مئات الافلام العالمية و العربية
هذه هي المعالجة الصالحة للأطفال ..بدون الذهاب للعلاج النفسي بعدها
اذن فالفتيات العاديات يستحققن امير الاحلام؟
اذن من تصبر ستنول؟
اذن لكل ظالم نهاية؟
سندريلا من📖 قصص التراث الشعبي الأوروبي و الاسيوى..ضاربة في القدم..عالجها عشرات الكتاب و لكن الفرنسي بيرلو يكسب للنهاية
الجمال في المرأة يتم تقديره دائما و لكن النبل و الطيبة و التسامح هم الابقى هذا هو مغزى قصتنا الخيالية..فمع بيرلو تجد ان الأناقة المؤقتة و الأحذية الزجاجية ليست هي ما جذب انتباه الأمير الا وقتيا..و لكنه في النهاية قبل سندريلا بحالتها المزرية الدائمة
هذه هي المعالجة التي تمت ترجمتها في المكتبة الخضراء
هذه هي المعالجة التي تبنتها افلام ديزني ..🎃
هذه هي المعالجة التي تبنتها مئات الافلام العالمية و العربية
هذه هي المعالجة الصالحة للأطفال ..بدون الذهاب للعلاج النفسي بعدها
August 2, 2008
gatsby-rella
December 10, 2022
Si habéis visto la peli de Disney os hacéis una idea de qué os vais a encontrar en este breve cuento.
No es mi cuento clásico favorito, y no me ha aportado nada.
No veo que tenga ninguna moraleja, salvo que si eres bonita y vas bien vestida y peinada te tratarán bien, si no es así, te tratarán mal.
Por lo demás, amor a primera vista porque es guapa y es guapo, un padre ausente al que en la vida real le hubiesen quitado la custodia, típica madrastra mala (siempre una madrastra, nunca un padrastro), un hada mágica, un baile, un zapato de cristal, etc. etc.
Edito porque se me olvidaba, que Cenicienta sea tan buena que al final parezca tonta, me ha puesto de los nervios. No se puede perdonar cualquier cosa y menos a cualquier precio.
No me ha gustado.
No es mi cuento clásico favorito, y no me ha aportado nada.
No veo que tenga ninguna moraleja, salvo que si eres bonita y vas bien vestida y peinada te tratarán bien, si no es así, te tratarán mal.
Por lo demás, amor a primera vista porque es guapa y es guapo, un padre ausente al que en la vida real le hubiesen quitado la custodia, típica madrastra mala (siempre una madrastra, nunca un padrastro), un hada mágica, un baile, un zapato de cristal, etc. etc.
Edito porque se me olvidaba, que Cenicienta sea tan buena que al final parezca tonta, me ha puesto de los nervios. No se puede perdonar cualquier cosa y menos a cualquier precio.
No me ha gustado.
September 24, 2024
داستان بیست و یکم از همخوانی برادران گریم.
جالبه که تو این ورژن سه شب مراسم بوده و مدل آماده شدن ارابه و لباس گرفتنش فرق داشت. زیاد هم به رابطه خواهران باهاش نپرداخته بود.
جالبه که تو این ورژن سه شب مراسم بوده و مدل آماده شدن ارابه و لباس گرفتنش فرق داشت. زیاد هم به رابطه خواهران باهاش نپرداخته بود.
September 25, 2024
قصههای برادران گریم
قصه بیست و یکم
قصه سیندرلا
خب، همان اول تکلیف را مشخص کنم و بگویم که سیندرلا گریم با چیزی که از انیمیشن دیزنی در ذهن دارید، تفاوتهای متعددی دارد.
فکر کنم از این تفاوتها بگویم بهتر است:
اول اینکه خواهرهای سیندرلا، اینجا اصلاً زشت نیستند، بلکه قلبی زشت و کریه دارند.
در اینجا جادوی کمتری داریم و انگار باور کردنیتر از جادوی مسحورکننده نسخه دیزنی است.
اینجا پایانبندی ماجرا هم کمی خونینتر و خشنتر است.
گریمها سیندرلا را خیلی آرام و سر حوصله تعریف کردهاند. و اصلاً برای پایانبندی آن عجله به خرج ندادهاند.
قصه بیست و یکم
قصه سیندرلا
خب، همان اول تکلیف را مشخص کنم و بگویم که سیندرلا گریم با چیزی که از انیمیشن دیزنی در ذهن دارید، تفاوتهای متعددی دارد.
فکر کنم از این تفاوتها بگویم بهتر است:
اول اینکه خواهرهای سیندرلا، اینجا اصلاً زشت نیستند، بلکه قلبی زشت و کریه دارند.
در اینجا جادوی کمتری داریم و انگار باور کردنیتر از جادوی مسحورکننده نسخه دیزنی است.
اینجا پایانبندی ماجرا هم کمی خونینتر و خشنتر است.
گریمها سیندرلا را خیلی آرام و سر حوصله تعریف کردهاند. و اصلاً برای پایانبندی آن عجله به خرج ندادهاند.
September 23, 2019
Aided by the birds who have witnessed her weeping by her mother' grave, mistreated orphan Cinderella finds a way to go to the prince's ball in this retelling of the classic fairy-tale, in which the little cinder-girl wins her love. This is a translation of the Brothers' Grimm tale, Aschenputtel, rather than the more common French Cendrillon, so here there is no fairy-godmother, nor a coach made from a pumpkin. Rather, Cinderella's gown and silk slippers are provided through the magic of the birds, who also aid her in sorting a pile of lentils from the ashes, a seemingly impossible task set her by her malicious stepmother. Here there is no warnning about leaving the ball by midnight, although our heroine does leave behind one of her slippers while running off, which the enamoured prince uses to track her down.
This lovely retelling, with artwork by German artist Ulrike Haseloff, was originally published in Germany and then translated into English by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, who have also made the work of such authors as Elsa Beskow (Swedish) and Daniela Drescher (German) available to English-language readers. As someone who likes to read variants of the same tale, in order to compare and contrast, it was refreshing to be reminded that the German Cinderella is a little different from the French one, as I think the latter is the one English speakers are most familiar with. I enjoyed Haseloff's artwork, particularly the costumes she clothed her characters in - I admit it, I even liked the gold and silver glitter of Cinderella's gown - and the charming cats who lived in Cinderella's house. Recommended to all young fairy-tale lovers!
This lovely retelling, with artwork by German artist Ulrike Haseloff, was originally published in Germany and then translated into English by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, who have also made the work of such authors as Elsa Beskow (Swedish) and Daniela Drescher (German) available to English-language readers. As someone who likes to read variants of the same tale, in order to compare and contrast, it was refreshing to be reminded that the German Cinderella is a little different from the French one, as I think the latter is the one English speakers are most familiar with. I enjoyed Haseloff's artwork, particularly the costumes she clothed her characters in - I admit it, I even liked the gold and silver glitter of Cinderella's gown - and the charming cats who lived in Cinderella's house. Recommended to all young fairy-tale lovers!
October 6, 2016
Well isn't that a little violent tale! XD I did not realize that it was like that.
August 17, 2025
Me gustó más la versión de Parrault que la de Los Hnos Grimm. Sin embargo no es mucho más que lo ya nos enseñó Disney, esa película animada antigua, (no he visto otras), menos mal que no se basaron en la de los HG sino hubiéramos quedado con trauma 🤪
December 11, 2022
Puees... no es que sea malo, que también, es que comparado con el de los hermanos Grimm, es un relato muy light con una moraleja muy light. Cómo que la belleza y la bondad lo valen todo? Meh, no te lo compro.
En fin, 1 estrella sobre 5 porque es tan ligero como ingenuo.
En fin, 1 estrella sobre 5 porque es tan ligero como ingenuo.
August 14, 2021
it was exactly the Cinderella story I wanted, Not that bloody real version of the fairy tales (I've read the real version too), but it seemed like Perrault actually wrote it from the Disney version. & you know how much I love to see my favourite medias on papers! I love it! so cute!
February 19, 2022
*read for ENGL 249 at Concordia University
November 12, 2022
so creepy but so good it was everything i wasn’t expecting
March 5, 2013
Annotation:
This electronic modern fantasy is about a girl named Cinderella whose mother had died. Her father remarried to an awful woman with two daughters. Cinderella’s stepfamily treated her like a servant. When Cinderella’s father returned from a trip, he gave her a sprig of hazel, which she planted by her mother’s grave in a garden. When the tree grew, a bird made a nest in the tree and began to look after Cinderella. Later, the king announced that there would be a feast to find his son a wife, but Cinderella’s stepmother wouldn’t let her go.
The bird who looked over Cinderella gave her a beautiful dress and golden shoes to wear to the feast. Nobody noticed who she really was at the feast, and she danced with the prince the entire night. At the end of the night, Cinderella leaves, and the prince began to search for her. He realizes she lost one of her shoes in the escape, and he declares that he will marry whomever the shoe fits. When they arrived at Cinderella’s home, her sisters attempted cutting off pieces of their feet to make the shoe fit. Their attempts to trick the prince are discovered. Cinderella tries on the shoe, and it fits perfectly. In the end, Cinderella and the prince rode off together and have their happily ever after.
Response:
I gave this book 2 stars. I think that some of the language is inappropriate for children in elementary school. I also didn’t like how the stepsisters cut off pieces of their feet to have a chance at marrying the prince. I think that it gives a negative message to young girls and is too violent and extreme for the children who would read the book.
This book reminded me of the other versions of Cinderella that I’ve read. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters was similar to this book, but only because they were both Cinderella variants. The story lines were very different, but both main characters end up with their heroes and have a happy ending. My favorite version of Cinderella was the 3D Cinderella iPad app. There was no violence or inappropriate language in the story, and it allowed the reader to interact with the story, setting, and characters on the iPad. I thought that this version of Cinderella gives a negative message to students through the language and inappropriate aspects in the text.
Classroom Connections:
For this book, I would have students create a Venn Diagram comparing Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters to Grimm’s Cinderella. It would allow the students to develop a deeper understanding of both texts by comparing and contrasting the stories. It would also help them understand how plots can vary while they give the same basic message. They would also be able to compare the characters that have similar roles in each story. Additionally, it would allow them to learn more about other cultures, because of the cultural setting in Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters.
Text Complexity:
There is no information about the lexile or guided reading levels of this book, but I would imagine it appropriate for grades 3-5 and that a third or fourth grade student would be able to independently read this text.
This electronic modern fantasy is about a girl named Cinderella whose mother had died. Her father remarried to an awful woman with two daughters. Cinderella’s stepfamily treated her like a servant. When Cinderella’s father returned from a trip, he gave her a sprig of hazel, which she planted by her mother’s grave in a garden. When the tree grew, a bird made a nest in the tree and began to look after Cinderella. Later, the king announced that there would be a feast to find his son a wife, but Cinderella’s stepmother wouldn’t let her go.
The bird who looked over Cinderella gave her a beautiful dress and golden shoes to wear to the feast. Nobody noticed who she really was at the feast, and she danced with the prince the entire night. At the end of the night, Cinderella leaves, and the prince began to search for her. He realizes she lost one of her shoes in the escape, and he declares that he will marry whomever the shoe fits. When they arrived at Cinderella’s home, her sisters attempted cutting off pieces of their feet to make the shoe fit. Their attempts to trick the prince are discovered. Cinderella tries on the shoe, and it fits perfectly. In the end, Cinderella and the prince rode off together and have their happily ever after.
Response:
I gave this book 2 stars. I think that some of the language is inappropriate for children in elementary school. I also didn’t like how the stepsisters cut off pieces of their feet to have a chance at marrying the prince. I think that it gives a negative message to young girls and is too violent and extreme for the children who would read the book.
This book reminded me of the other versions of Cinderella that I’ve read. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters was similar to this book, but only because they were both Cinderella variants. The story lines were very different, but both main characters end up with their heroes and have a happy ending. My favorite version of Cinderella was the 3D Cinderella iPad app. There was no violence or inappropriate language in the story, and it allowed the reader to interact with the story, setting, and characters on the iPad. I thought that this version of Cinderella gives a negative message to students through the language and inappropriate aspects in the text.
Classroom Connections:
For this book, I would have students create a Venn Diagram comparing Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters to Grimm’s Cinderella. It would allow the students to develop a deeper understanding of both texts by comparing and contrasting the stories. It would also help them understand how plots can vary while they give the same basic message. They would also be able to compare the characters that have similar roles in each story. Additionally, it would allow them to learn more about other cultures, because of the cultural setting in Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters.
Text Complexity:
There is no information about the lexile or guided reading levels of this book, but I would imagine it appropriate for grades 3-5 and that a third or fourth grade student would be able to independently read this text.
October 20, 2009
In Charles Perralult’s version of Cinderella, the author tells an Italian version of this classic. The pictures, however, are set in 1920s London. The story-line is very similar to the American version. Cinderella has to move in with her father’s new wife and daughters who treat her as a servant. Cinderella does not tell her father how they treat her because she thinks that he would believe his new wife over her. When the King’s son gave a ball both of the stepsisters made Cinderella help them get ready. After they left her godmother, who was also a fairy, used her magic and got Cinderella ready for the ball. Her only stipulation was that she had to leave before midnight. She followed orders the first night, but then the king’s son called for a ball the next night to find the beautiful woman who left early. At the second ball Cinderella was having so much fun that she forgot to leave before midnight, and she lost a glass slipper as she ran off. The King’s son proclaimed he would marry the the girl whose foot the slipper fit, and sent his henchmen out to find her. One of them noticed that Cinderella was pretty even though she was poorly dressed and they tried it on her foot. When it fit she pulled out the match. Her godmother immediately used her magic wand and dressed her beautifully. Her stepsisters begged for forgiveness, and Cinderella accepted their apologies. She even brought them to live in the castle, and set them up with two great lords of the court.
This version was very much similar to most of the other editions that I studied. The one difference that I enjoyed was the setting and the pictures. This takes place during the 1920s in London, so the characters are dressed to reflect the time and place. The dresses, the cars, and the castle pictures are beautifully painted, and full of rich detail.
This version was very much similar to most of the other editions that I studied. The one difference that I enjoyed was the setting and the pictures. This takes place during the 1920s in London, so the characters are dressed to reflect the time and place. The dresses, the cars, and the castle pictures are beautifully painted, and full of rich detail.
January 13, 2014
I stumbled upon this when I was looking for things to read to my grandchildren who will be visiting me soon. Like most children, there is almost nothing they love more than sitting next to an adult on the couch and looking at the pages while the adult reads a children’s story to them. So what a perfect find this book was.
It is an amazing undertaking. For the publisher to seek out what is probably every version of the Cinderella story and then compile it into one perfectly formatted and beautifully illustrated collection. It’s no wonder that at the time of this writing, Cinderella: The Ultimate Collection is on several best-sellers lists. It makes me wonder how long it will be offered at such a low price.
I wish this enhanced version for ebook was available when my children were small. There are 29 versions! You could read each night to your children and when you are finished with one version, you could continue on to the next one. You may even want to ask your children which version is their favorite. As for adults like myself, my children are grown, but that’s why they invented grandchildren. As an added bonus, if I get too tired to read out loud, I can click on one of the free, full-length audio recordings of different versions of Cinderella and listen to a professional. In summary let me say that whether you are reading to your children, or your grandchildren, or if you are just a kid at heart (you may even be interested in the historical aspects of this fine collection), I highly recommend this five-star collection.
It is an amazing undertaking. For the publisher to seek out what is probably every version of the Cinderella story and then compile it into one perfectly formatted and beautifully illustrated collection. It’s no wonder that at the time of this writing, Cinderella: The Ultimate Collection is on several best-sellers lists. It makes me wonder how long it will be offered at such a low price.
I wish this enhanced version for ebook was available when my children were small. There are 29 versions! You could read each night to your children and when you are finished with one version, you could continue on to the next one. You may even want to ask your children which version is their favorite. As for adults like myself, my children are grown, but that’s why they invented grandchildren. As an added bonus, if I get too tired to read out loud, I can click on one of the free, full-length audio recordings of different versions of Cinderella and listen to a professional. In summary let me say that whether you are reading to your children, or your grandchildren, or if you are just a kid at heart (you may even be interested in the historical aspects of this fine collection), I highly recommend this five-star collection.
June 6, 2012
This Art Deco inspired version of Cinderella was painted by a favorite illustrator of mine, Roberto Innocenti. Because of his vision, this is my favorite of all Cinderella stories.
Lesson Connections
Fairy Tale Unit
Some stories are timeless
How the setting effects a story
Lesson Connections
Fairy Tale Unit
Some stories are timeless
How the setting effects a story
July 14, 2024
qué re mil carajos con los cuentos de aquella época?? LAS HERMANASTRAS SE CORTARON LOS DEDOS Y EL TALÓN DEL PIE PARA QUE LES ENTRARA EL ZAPATO DE CRISTAL y al final en la boda de Cenicienta DOS PÁJAROS LE SACARON LOS OJOS DEJÁNDOLAS CIEGAS COMO CASTIGO
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2022
The Brothers Grimm are kinda metal for adding that dash of gore to a children’s story
April 20, 2023
*Reading Books for 5 months that Inspired Disney Before Disney World Trip Book Five*
Wow. That was disturbing.
Wow. That was disturbing.
April 23, 2023
moral of the story: send doves to rip out the eyes of everyone who offended you
September 11, 2024
slodkie
December 8, 2024
Lista de Rory Gilmore
January 20, 2025
En dyster version
February 16, 2013
Summary:
After losing her mother and gaining a stepmother and a pair of unpleasant stepsisters, protagonist Cinderella is forced to adapt to a life of harsh labor, mockery, and neglect. When it becomes known that the King is to be throwing a 3-day festival in hopes of helping his son find a suitable bride, Cinderella becomes overwhelmed with mixed emotions. As much as she desires to attend the festival with the rest of the young girls of the land, it seems as though her stepmother is going to do anything in her power to prevent her from going, including assigning her a heaping amount of chores and nearly impossible tasks so that there is no way she will be able to complete in time to join in the jubilee. Even after she manages to finish all her work with the help of her animal companions that live in the garden, Cinderella’s stepmother still forbids Cinderella to attend, because she “hast no clothes, and canst not dance.” As everyone else departs for the dance, Cinderella visits her mother’s gravesite for comfort. Suddenly, a bird who lives in the tree Cinderella has planted near the mother’s grave throws down to her a gold and silver dress and a pair of silver slippers to match. Elated by this, she dashes off to the ball which she now has the proper attire to attend. The prince is quite fond of Cinderella when she arrives at the dance, and the two dance the evening away, until Cinderella is ready to return home. As she bids the Prince farewell, he states he desires to accompany her back home. Knowing this would not be a good idea, as the Prince would find out her true identity, she escapes from him so briskly he cannot follow her.
Cinderella continues this routine of attending the festival for the next 2 nights. Waiting until her stepmother and stepsister leave before retrieving her attire from the bird and always dashing away as the evening concluded before the prince can caught up to her. On the last night of the celebration, Cinderella finds herself in such a hurry that she leaves behind one of her slippers. The next morning, the prince, knowing the young lady who left behind the shoe is his true love, sets out to find her, unwavering, “No one shall be his wife but she whose foot this slipper fits.” When he arrived at Cinderella’s abode, the stepsisters are determined that they will get the shoe to fit. The eldest stepsister even goes to such extremes as to chopping off her toes and heel to get her foot to fit. Luckily, the birds point out the blood on the shoe so that the prince does not set off with the wrong bride. Alas, it’s Cinderella’s turn to try on the shoe, and of course, it’s a perfect fit. At the prince and Cinderella’s wedding, her stepsisters naturally want to be included in Cinderella’s good fortune. However, evil never wins, and thus on their way to the chapel, a pair of pecking pigeons cause both of them blindness as punishment for their “wickedness and falsehood.”
Response:
I definitely liked immersing myself in the Kindle version of this Grimm fairytale. Cinderella has always been my favorite princess, and seeing her prevail above all her shortcomings in becoming the prince’s bride never gets old for me. However, there were a few dislikes I had about this particular version. For example, I found it to be inappropriate content for children when the eldest of the 2 stepsisters took drastic measures in chopping off her toes and heel for the sake of fitting into the slipper. Additionally, I don’t think this act of going to the extreme in trying to achieve what one wants is setting a very good example for young readers. The eldest stepsister is almost “cheating the system” in a sense by not being honest with the prince by admitting to him the shoe doesn’t fit. Not portraying all of the characters as having honesty and integrity neglects to fulfill one of the qualities of outstanding children’s literature (TMY, 2010, p.9). Furthermore, dishonesty is not a trait that is teaching children a very strong moral. Additionally, in comparing the language in this version to other versions I have been exposed to, including the Disney version and the Cinderella: A 3D Fairy Tale interactive IPad version, I would consider the text of this version to be a little more complex, and a little less kid-friendly than the others. Something else I also found interesting about this version was the lack of the midnight curfew for Cinderella when she attended the ball, as well as the absence of the fairy godmother, though I still think the story was carried out smoothly without these elements. With all of this considered, I rated this version of Cinderella 3 stars because it did contain originality, despite those aspects of it I did not find the most appealing.
Classroom Connection:
Since I read this story via its Kindle version, I think one classroom connection that could be incorporated could be for student’s to gain awareness about the technology of eBook literature by being assigned to explore the various functions the Kindle has to offer. For example, while reading the text readers have the option to highlight words or phrases, retrieve the definition of a word by clicking on it, or making a note about a certain piece of texting by highlighting the desired phrase. Students could be guided through this exploration by being asked to find key phrases in the text, or they can be given more free-range regarding the assignment by being asked to define words they find unfamiliar to them, and make notes and highlight certain phrases and words as they deem fit. Regardless of which direction one decided to take with this lesson, I think it would be a good experience for the students to be able to explore the various features reading on a Kindle has to offer. Many of its features, such as the “define a term” option by clicking on a given word, are quite useful when a reader comes across a word they may not know the meaning of. Being able to almost instantly find the answer to the word in question can definitely increase the reader’s reading comprehension accuracy. Reading comprehension is an important skill for students to thoroughly develop.
Text Complexity:
Though I was not able to locate any lexile, GLE, or guided reading level for this story, I would consider this book be appropriate for grades 1-3 as a read aloud, and as an independent reader for the 3-5 grade levels. Conclusively, I think fairy tales interest pretty much all children in the elementary grades, and this would give them the opportunity to explore a different version of the classic Cinderella tale.
After losing her mother and gaining a stepmother and a pair of unpleasant stepsisters, protagonist Cinderella is forced to adapt to a life of harsh labor, mockery, and neglect. When it becomes known that the King is to be throwing a 3-day festival in hopes of helping his son find a suitable bride, Cinderella becomes overwhelmed with mixed emotions. As much as she desires to attend the festival with the rest of the young girls of the land, it seems as though her stepmother is going to do anything in her power to prevent her from going, including assigning her a heaping amount of chores and nearly impossible tasks so that there is no way she will be able to complete in time to join in the jubilee. Even after she manages to finish all her work with the help of her animal companions that live in the garden, Cinderella’s stepmother still forbids Cinderella to attend, because she “hast no clothes, and canst not dance.” As everyone else departs for the dance, Cinderella visits her mother’s gravesite for comfort. Suddenly, a bird who lives in the tree Cinderella has planted near the mother’s grave throws down to her a gold and silver dress and a pair of silver slippers to match. Elated by this, she dashes off to the ball which she now has the proper attire to attend. The prince is quite fond of Cinderella when she arrives at the dance, and the two dance the evening away, until Cinderella is ready to return home. As she bids the Prince farewell, he states he desires to accompany her back home. Knowing this would not be a good idea, as the Prince would find out her true identity, she escapes from him so briskly he cannot follow her.
Cinderella continues this routine of attending the festival for the next 2 nights. Waiting until her stepmother and stepsister leave before retrieving her attire from the bird and always dashing away as the evening concluded before the prince can caught up to her. On the last night of the celebration, Cinderella finds herself in such a hurry that she leaves behind one of her slippers. The next morning, the prince, knowing the young lady who left behind the shoe is his true love, sets out to find her, unwavering, “No one shall be his wife but she whose foot this slipper fits.” When he arrived at Cinderella’s abode, the stepsisters are determined that they will get the shoe to fit. The eldest stepsister even goes to such extremes as to chopping off her toes and heel to get her foot to fit. Luckily, the birds point out the blood on the shoe so that the prince does not set off with the wrong bride. Alas, it’s Cinderella’s turn to try on the shoe, and of course, it’s a perfect fit. At the prince and Cinderella’s wedding, her stepsisters naturally want to be included in Cinderella’s good fortune. However, evil never wins, and thus on their way to the chapel, a pair of pecking pigeons cause both of them blindness as punishment for their “wickedness and falsehood.”
Response:
I definitely liked immersing myself in the Kindle version of this Grimm fairytale. Cinderella has always been my favorite princess, and seeing her prevail above all her shortcomings in becoming the prince’s bride never gets old for me. However, there were a few dislikes I had about this particular version. For example, I found it to be inappropriate content for children when the eldest of the 2 stepsisters took drastic measures in chopping off her toes and heel for the sake of fitting into the slipper. Additionally, I don’t think this act of going to the extreme in trying to achieve what one wants is setting a very good example for young readers. The eldest stepsister is almost “cheating the system” in a sense by not being honest with the prince by admitting to him the shoe doesn’t fit. Not portraying all of the characters as having honesty and integrity neglects to fulfill one of the qualities of outstanding children’s literature (TMY, 2010, p.9). Furthermore, dishonesty is not a trait that is teaching children a very strong moral. Additionally, in comparing the language in this version to other versions I have been exposed to, including the Disney version and the Cinderella: A 3D Fairy Tale interactive IPad version, I would consider the text of this version to be a little more complex, and a little less kid-friendly than the others. Something else I also found interesting about this version was the lack of the midnight curfew for Cinderella when she attended the ball, as well as the absence of the fairy godmother, though I still think the story was carried out smoothly without these elements. With all of this considered, I rated this version of Cinderella 3 stars because it did contain originality, despite those aspects of it I did not find the most appealing.
Classroom Connection:
Since I read this story via its Kindle version, I think one classroom connection that could be incorporated could be for student’s to gain awareness about the technology of eBook literature by being assigned to explore the various functions the Kindle has to offer. For example, while reading the text readers have the option to highlight words or phrases, retrieve the definition of a word by clicking on it, or making a note about a certain piece of texting by highlighting the desired phrase. Students could be guided through this exploration by being asked to find key phrases in the text, or they can be given more free-range regarding the assignment by being asked to define words they find unfamiliar to them, and make notes and highlight certain phrases and words as they deem fit. Regardless of which direction one decided to take with this lesson, I think it would be a good experience for the students to be able to explore the various features reading on a Kindle has to offer. Many of its features, such as the “define a term” option by clicking on a given word, are quite useful when a reader comes across a word they may not know the meaning of. Being able to almost instantly find the answer to the word in question can definitely increase the reader’s reading comprehension accuracy. Reading comprehension is an important skill for students to thoroughly develop.
Text Complexity:
Though I was not able to locate any lexile, GLE, or guided reading level for this story, I would consider this book be appropriate for grades 1-3 as a read aloud, and as an independent reader for the 3-5 grade levels. Conclusively, I think fairy tales interest pretty much all children in the elementary grades, and this would give them the opportunity to explore a different version of the classic Cinderella tale.
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December 3, 2025I actually read the Grimms version, not Charles Perrault, but all the other editions were so bad I gave up and went for this cute one!
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September 28, 2014Cenicienta... Nunca me gustó su historia. El cuento.. menos.
Pero, me sorprendieron un par de cosas, tipo que no haya tal hada madrina, ni un carruaje calabaza, ni ratones ayudantes... Solo palomas sanguinarias, D:
Me siguen causando gracia los príncipes, no le hacen asco a ninguna y por si fuera poco, ni nota si hay un charco de sangre detrás de tus pies.
Cenicienta, al final, fue muy, Hasta la vista, bitches!. Ha, es un juego de palabras, entienden? :D
Me hizo mal tanta maldad(?)
Pero, me sorprendieron un par de cosas, tipo que no haya tal hada madrina, ni un carruaje calabaza, ni ratones ayudantes... Solo palomas sanguinarias, D:
Me siguen causando gracia los príncipes, no le hacen asco a ninguna y por si fuera poco, ni nota si hay un charco de sangre detrás de tus pies.
Cenicienta, al final, fue muy, Hasta la vista, bitches!. Ha, es un juego de palabras, entienden? :D
Me hizo mal tanta maldad(?)
October 25, 2021
Charles Perrault, who authored Cinderella, captures the essence of the story and all its successors in his work. In an elegant style fit for a princess, readers are transported to another time and place where they encounter a familiar conflict. The resolution of this story was not at all what I expected based on reproductions of the plot, and it is well worth the read for every aspiring prince or princess!
April 20, 2017
This is Perrault's text (though I couldn't find a translator mentioned), but it's really Innocenti's show. He sets this in London sometime in the 1920s, and the level of detail in his illustrations is, as usual for this artist, stunning. A child or an adult could look at the pictures a dozen times and find something new with each viewing.
January 29, 2021
Well it was pretty good because I love that her sisters forgives her and she forgives them at the end and I like that the prince gave her back her shoe after she lost it and I love that they use words from Anne with an “e” I know Anne of green gables didn’t make those words but idk lol but what I’m questioning is how would her shoe fall of if it fit?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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