Cinderella and a Mouse Called Fred

Hopkinson (Only One) and Zelinsky (All-of-a-Kind Family Hanukkah) conjure up a “Cinderella” tale that’s a fizzy blend of traditional storytelling and contemporary perspectives. Ella, as she’s known, is no mild-mannered protagonist; shown with pale skin, she’s an expert gardener aiming to win a blue ribbon for finest pumpkin. When a grumpy fairy godmother sticks her in a floofy dress and uncomfortable footwear, Ella’s response is an exasperated “Seriously? Glass high heels?” Garden mouse Fred, meanwhile, undergoes an involuntary transformation into a coach horse who can’t get a hoof anywhere near his chronically itchy ears. Emerging from the ball flushed with anger—a wonderfully cartooned scene—Ella hurls her remaining glass slipper against a lamp post. She has discovered that the prince not only doesn’t share her interest in gardening, he abhors dirt. “I’ll find my own destiny, thank you very much,” she says, and goes on to grow that prize-winning pumpkin and win the heart of a farmer, portrayed with light brown skin, who loves Ella “just as she was. And Ella loved her right back.” Why just fracture a fairy tale when one can infuse it with new possibilities for self-determination? A note about fairy tale pumpkins concludes. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.)