Cinderella

Belle and Caruso-Scott reduce Cinderella’s tale to just 14 brief words and phrases in a board book that opens the Les Petits Fairytales series, along with Snow White. “Girl,” reads the opening spread, as the blonde heroine in tattered dress mops the floor. The words chores, mean stepsisters, fairy godmother, and magic wand follow; Lake’s clean digital artwork (necessarily) does significant narrative heavy lifting, taking Cinderella to the “Ball” and home again, with “Marriage” in store once she gets her “Glass Slipper” back. Reminiscent of Gibbs Smith’s Baby Lit series, it’s an impressively succinct introduction to favorite tales. Ages 1–3. (Oct.)