Tattercoats: An old English tale

by Flora Annie Steel (Retold By), Diane Goode (Illustrator), Joseph Jacobs

Retells the traditional English tale of how poor, neglected Tattercoats comes to marry the Prince.

Genres: Picture Books, Cinderella, Fairy Tales, British Literature, Folklore

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Flora Annie Steel was an English writer. She was the daughter of George Webster. In 1867 she married Henry William Steel, a member of the Indian civil service, and for the next twenty-two years lived in India, chiefly in the Punjab, with which most of her books are connected.

When her husband's health was weak, Flora Annie Steel looked after some of his responsibilities. She acted as school inspector and mediator in local arguments.

She was interested in relating to all classes of Indian society. The birth of her daughter gave her a chance to interact with local women and learn their language.
She encouraged the production of local handicrafts and collected folk-tales, a collection of which she published in 1884.

Her interest in schools and the education of women gave her a special insight into native life and character. A year before leaving India, she co-authored and published The Complete Indian Housekeeper, giving detailed directions to European women on all aspects of household management in India.

In 1889 the family moved back to Scotland, and she continued her writing there.

Reviews

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Welsh Cinderella style fairy tale. The spin on it is unique. The art is a style I’m partial to. It’s filled with character and detail.

[Amalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Name: Tattercoats
Genre: Fairy Tale/Folk Lore
Version: England / English culture

Cinderella: Tattercoats
Magical element/"fairy godmother": Gooseherd
Glass Slipper: A magic flute
The ball: King's ball
Message: The importance of being true to yourself

**Tattercoats, sadly, has a weaker personality compared to other Cinderella versions. Her character is not memorable.

Illustrations:

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this 5 stars because this is one of my favorite versions of Cinderella, but the illustrations are not my favorite.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition retold by Flora Annie Steel and illustrated by Diane Goode.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Understated tale of a neglected princess whose only friend helps her to meet a prince.

Diane Goode's illustrations were nice but neither they nor Steel's text gave the titular character much personality. In the first several panels she is shown from behind, crying in corners, so she doesn't even have a face! Tattercoats is pretty passive and silent. Her insanely depressed father is a far more resonant figure, with his creepily overgrown hair and incessant mourning for his dead wife.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting old story--this had strong vibes of Cinderella and bits of the goose girl. A girl who has been neglected in her grandfather's household spends all her time watching the geese with the gooseherd, who seems to have some mysterious abilities. When she is told she can't go to the ball, she ends up meeting the prince in the woods, and the gooseherd plays a song on his pipe that makes the prince fall in love with her, and eventually winning over the whole kingdom. Kind of haunting but mystical, and the whole court being convinced reminded me of Swan Princess a bit.

[Whitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The English Cinderella is a good bit different than the French version that we all know so well. There are no tiny shoes to wear, just a friendly gooseherd who play his magic flute. It's nice because it is different but it isn't an especially great book.

[Madison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a different cinderella story witch made it intresting