Cenicienta: Cinderella

Gr 2-4-In this retelling of the classic tale, the sweet and put-upon Cenicienta takes care of the house, her stepsisters, and preparations for the prince's ball. Her fairy godmother appears on cue to outfit the young girl in a gorgeous gown and those troublesome glass slippers. The narrative, though clear, is a little choppy at times, for example, jumping without preamble from Cenicienta crying to the sudden appearance of the fairy godmother. The real strength of the book, however, is in the lush, diaphanous watercolors, done in gold and peach tones, which convey the story's drama and romance. It is perhaps a quibble that the stepsisters appear to be prettier than Cenicienta, as the whole sweep of the tale is gorgeously portrayed. This is best placed as a gift book for young girls with a strong romantic bent and, as such, it's recommended for bookstore rather than library use.Ann Welton, Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, Tacoma, WA