Cinderella

by Barbara Karlin

In her haste to flee the palace before the fairy godmother's magic loses effect, Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper.

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

30 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Haley · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was boring

[Karen Doornbos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is incredibly similar to the Perrault version. It tells the truth and provides an enjoyable read for young kids that does not overly teach them to work hard and not complain, no matter how unfair the situation is at hand. However, it does not really reveal insights into modern day culture. It seems as though this book is merely a reiteration of the original story with new pictures. So it is authentic to the original; yet, it does not give any credit to the original authors. The only indication that it was not written by the author is that Barbara Karlin retells it. Overall, I think I would use a different modern day Cinderella over this one, as I feel that may add more value.

[RLL22017Necole Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Cinderella was a great retell of a classic love story. Cinderella is mistreated by her evil stepmother and 2 evil stepsisters. They work her to the bone all day and night. The three girls are invited to a ball, but the stepsisters will not let Cinderella attend. On the day of the ball, the sister made Cinderella work extremely hard to make them look beautiful. They taunt her in sarcasm asking if she wanted to go to the ball. A heart broken Cinderella cries as she works, but little did she know that her fairy godmother was here to save the day. The fairy godmother worked her magic and off to the ball Cinderella went, and the rest is history. The prince fell for her at first sight and searched high and low until he found her after her disappearance to make her his princess. I would use this book in my classroom to teach students that some situations may start off horrible, but they can end up turning into something positive.

[Channel]

Cinderella retold by Barbara Karlin was based off of the classic fairytale. The father marries into aevil family that mistreats his daughter. The three daughters are invited to a ball but the sisters want to leave there step sister behind. Cinderella god mother come and save the day. This story is a great read aloud with great illustration. I would recommend this book to grade levels preschool through third.

[Kendalyn Zerkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it reminded me of when I was little and I liked how detailed the pictures are. I would recommend this book because it is a fun book that you can look at the pictures and get an idea of the story before you even read it. Kids around the age of 4 to 7 year old's would like this book because as the get older they can go from looking at the pictures to reading it because they recognize the word and can look at the pictures too.

[Xiaoxiao Zhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a beautiful Cinderella! What a handsome prince! What a nasty stepmother! What two ugly stepsisters! Oh, what a coincidence! It's a story which also has stepmother and a poor girl. This may be why these books will succeed in the children's literature field, because children always show sympathy for poor people while they also always want a happy ending in each story. Children always expect the romantic and beautiful things happening surrounding them. What's more, children can also learn a lot form the story, they can learn how to draw such colorful paintings and in addition they can get a lot from Cinderella including the goodness, generosity and beauty.

Tell you a secret quietly, my English name is Cinderella. Don't be curious. I don't have a stepmother, on the contrary, I have a fortunate and happy family. I don't have a similar experience with the Cinderella in the story. The reason why I take this English name just is I want to have the similar characteristics like the Cinderella in the book -- honest, brave, insist, good and beautiful.

[Nicole Marzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinderella retold by Barbara Karlin tells the traditional story of Cinderella, but the illustrations by James Marshall give this story a unique edge. Like the original, a young woman is forced to work as a servant for her step-mother and step-sisters, but after she gets transformed into a beautiful princess, she goes to the ball and meets a handsome prince. Forced to leave at midnight, Cinderella leaves behind her glass slipper in a rush. The prince then searches all around town for the woman who the shoe fits.

James Marshall makes this story the fun and different from other versions of Cinderella. His signature style is clear throughout the whole book: the characters are drawn a little heavier, their mouths are straight lines (or they have their tongue sticking out), and their eyes are very small in relation to their faces. His unique style adds humor to the story, and I really enjoyed it. Overall, I highly recommend this version of Cinderella because it tells the traditional story in an original/different way.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A contemporary telling of the classic tale of Cinderella, the language is very approachable for younger audiences. The pictures are hilarious. The step-sisters could not look for ridiculous! A favorite picture is Cinderella's face when she must retrieve two lizards for her Godmother. Many animals are included in the pictures throughout the book, especially dogs and cats, and all are depicted in classic James Marshall style. Children will enjoy finding all of the little details in each illustration.

[Destiny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book interesting. The story is similar to many other retelling on the same story. The art is what caught my attention! I loved the step mother and step sisters. They were dressed and looked so dramatic that the vanity of their personalities really shone through their looks. Having them dressed in such a way with such expression enveloped their immense amount of vanity for the way they look and the things they own.

[Elisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book due to its traditional story it's something we all know and love to occasionally read. This traditional tail is retold with the same story line but with unique illustrations. Cinderella has an evil stepmother and stepsisters that do not want her to have any privileges. She cannot go to the royal ball but her fairy god mother grants her to go. The prince will fall in love with her and they will live happily together.

[Kandice Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a retold version of the original Cinderella story. Cinderella lives with a wicked step mother and two step sisters who try to make her life miserable. This version is very similar to the original. The only difference is that in the end of the book, Cinderella invites her evil step family to move into the castle with her and the prince because no matter what they are her family. This version is great for children and the colorful illustrations will draw their attention.

[Shannon Brasher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed in this book. Usually I love any books with James Marshall, however this book lacked the silly, quirkiness of his books and it is just a retelling along the lines of the Disney version of Cinderella. I prefer his Little Red Riding Hood or the Three Little Pigs books. I don't know that I would use this book in the classroom as a read aloud, but I would have it in my library.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book and comparing it with the Disney movie that I'm most familiar with. I liked how in the book, Cinderella ended up being able to forgive her stepsisters and move them into the palace to marry men so that they too could "live happily ever after." It shows readers that even though people in our lives may do us wrong, we still need to be accepting and forgiving.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, it was traditional but I was not a fan of the art. It was distracting and very cluttered and so I felt like that took away from the story a little bit. But the story line was good and interesting. But I don't think I would like to read this book again.

[Kalee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderful edition of Cinderella. I love James Marshall style of pictures. The pictures seem to be very appealing to children. Plus there is a great opportunity from the pictures and the words to create a discussion with children while reading.

[Mary Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been such a huge fan of the Disney Princesses that being able to read this book that is related to Cinderella was a great experience. This book was different enough that I really enjoyed it and didn't see the ending coming.

[Brooke Birchler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only other version I have ever seen of Cinderella is the Disney movie so it was really interesting to me to read this book. I loved the illustrations and the way the book was written.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of Marshall's best. But better than many versions of this, especially due to the great facial expressions Marshall gives to the ugly sisters and to Cinderella herself.

[Crysta Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art irritated me for some reason and the story was all to familiar, but I did like how Cinderella brought he family to the palace with her to share the happy ending.

[Rachel]

I love this interpretation of Cinderella! When I read it to my students they have so much fun comparing and contrasting this book to the movie and to other versions off the story that they know!

[Sarah Truluck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. I have always been obsessed with princesses and Cinderella is defiantly a princess. I chose this book, because of the princess.

[Kaitlyn Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book that I would have in my classroom library. It retells the fairy-tale of Cinderella and it is something that students would enjoy reading on their own to connect it to the movie.

[Daniel Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary-This is a story retold of the girl, Cinderella. She acted as a servant for her stepdaughter and mothers. One day she was visited by her Fairy God Mother and was changed from being a servant to a beautiful princess. She went to the ball to meet the prince at his party. At midnight when the spell had expired she ran off, leaving behind her glass slipper. The Prince spent the next days searching for Cinderella using the glass slipper and eventually found her and lived happily ever after.
Personal Response- I liked reading this tale again. I remember watching the Disney movie, so much of it was not new to me. It will very much appeal to the younger aged girls who love to imagine themselves as princesses and even the boys who imagine themselves as the prince.
Illustrations- The illustrations are very well done. They seem to be done with some watercolor and the illustrator really focuses on characters expressions. An example of this is when you can see the evilness shown by the stepsisters by their facial expressions.
Classroom Connections-This book could be used for the Pre-K or Kindergarten children. It would be a great introduction to emotions and how people will feel. Children could do a writing lesson on different emotions expressed in the book and an example when they felt that same way. Another connection would be to introduce animals in a science lesson. This would include explaining what rats, mice, and horses are while going into detail about other animals the children know about.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's book critic Barbara Karlin and celebrated children's illustrator James Marshall team up in this comedic picture book retelling of the classic fairy-tale of Cinderella. Simple and contemporary language is used to tell the traditional tale, in which a young girl is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, but wins the heart of the prince when her fairy godmother helps her to attend the ball...

I've been on a Cinderella kick recently, and have been reading many different kinds of picture book retellings, including traditional versions of the famous story from Perrault, which gives this tale type its name, international variants of the story from around the world, and fractured versions that set the narrative in new environments and take it in different directions. This presentation is fairly traditional, insofar as the story itself is concerned, and sticks to the version of the tale that I think most contemporary Anglophone readers know—an adaptation of the Perrault, in which there is one ball rather than three. Of course, the more faithful version from Perrault is also known in the Anglophone world. The updates here are largely in language—simplified and more comedic—and in the droll artwork from Marshall, who is known for his George and Martha, among many others. I can't honestly say this is the approach I love best—I tend to prefer the dazzlingly beautiful fairy-tale retellings—but I think it has appeal, and would recommend it to young fairy-tale fans who also enjoy more humorous and cartoon-style fare.

[Macey · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Marshall's "Cinderella" is one of the many versions of the classic tale. There are many different variations of this story but this one follows the most closely to the Disney version we are all familiar with. It is the story of a young girl who gets a new step mother and sisters that treat her terribly. She essentially becomes their maid. When the family is invited to the Prince's ball, she is told she cannot go and has to do chores. Later her fairy godmother appears and with a little magic, gets her to the ball in a beautiful gown and glass slippers. The prince dances all night with her. She has to leave by midnight before the magic wears off and loses one of her slippers. The prince searches far and wide for her, eventually finds her, and they get married.

This story is one nearly everyone already knows but would still be fun to use in a class of young students. Girls are generally more likely to enjoy this story because of the Disney princess, but some boys would enjoy it too. Because it would often only be enjoyed by one part of the class, I would have it for independent reading but would not read it aloud.

[Meghann Sniffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awards the book has received (if any): none
Appropriate grade level(s): pre-k and kindergarten
Original 3-line summary: Cinderella is about a girl whose father dies and now must live with her unbearable step-mother and step-sisters. One day a fairy god mother comes and makes her dreams come true. While at a ball she meets the man of her dreams and puts him through a chase to find her after the ball is over.
Original 3-line review: Cinderella is such a classic book for all children. I think this version appeals to both guys and girls and issn really about her being so pretty and the guy only liking her because of her beauty.
2-3 possible in-class uses:- showing beauty isn't everything
- retelling a classic in a different way

[Krysta McFarland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This traditional fiction, good for grades kindergarten-3, is an interesting twist of cinderella. It almost gives a nicer story than the typical book. I do not think that I liked this one as much as the original story but it was still good. I think this book would also be good for a compare and contrast lesson because it is very similar to the original so it would be harder to compare and contrast than something that is extremely opposite. Although I did not like this book as much as the typical story, it was still cute and would read it to my class anyway.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son is on a James Marshall kick ("Mama, it's the Miss Nelson guy!!!!") so we are slogging through all his twisted fairy tales. I still think nothing is as dark as "Hansel and Gretel", though "The Three Little Pigs" is horrific and comes close. I think the titular maiden here is too forgiving. Does saying that make me sound like a heathen who would enjoy gladiator games to the death and English theatre bear-baiting? Gosh, I hope not. Anywho, some people want more cowbell. This lady wants more vengeance and gore, God help us all.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

May 2017 - Marshall's illustrations are the best for comedic retellings, and Karlin's text is thorough but just the right length for a read-aloud (some fairy tales are LONG), with lots of fantastic vocabulary - this is totally one of those picture books that illustrates how many more "rare" words show up in books than everyday conversation. Ben was fascinated - we haven't read any other versions, and he saw the Disney movie a few months ago but didn't seem to connect it to this story.

[Tessa Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a young girl gets a new stepmom, she is forced to be a servant and sleep on cinder and ashes. From then on, she was referred to as Cinderella. When Cinderella wanted to go to the ball, she got help from her fairy godmother to transform her. Unfortunately the prince never got her name, and at 12 she had to run off leaving only her slipper behind. Eventually the prince found her and they lived happily ever after.