Cinderella: A Grimm's Fairy Tale

K-Gr 2—Metallic glitter adorning her ball gown adds a bit of luster to this pallid reworking of the classic tale. Flat, simple sentences and the truncated story suggest an ever-younger audience. Gone are the folktale's three repetitions that originally built the love story and the effort of finding the right girl to fit that lovely shoe. Cinderella goes just once to the ball. "When it was late, Cinderella wanted to go home. The Prince was anxious to go with her, but she ran off so quickly he couldn't follow." Though it's not so clear why they intervene, the birds do show up to pick the lentils out of the ashes and magically drop the golden dress and silken shoes from the tree. Only one stepsister cuts off part of her foot to don the shoe, and in the end no punishment is meted out to those who have been jealous and mean. It's a quick love at first sight, happily-ever-after story. The pleasant watercolor scenes nicely capture the pretty dresses and haughty demeanor of the stepmother and her daughters, and the old-fashioned kitchen where Cinderella spends her days is a rather attractive place. The bits of golden glitz will attract some viewers, and the reduced story may please adults who feel that robust versions of fairy tales are in some way inappropriate, but it's better to wait until children are ready for the whole story.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston