Cinderella - Hardcover

Thomson, Sarah L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0761461701 ISBN 13: 9780761461708

Publisher: Two Lions, 2012

Synopsis

Once upon a time, a rich merchant lived with his daughter. He loved the girl for her beautiful face and her sweet heart. But after his wife died, he decided to marry a second time, and his new wife was selfish and cruel. She had two daughters of her own who were just like her…

This story of Cinderella is based on the version collected and published by the seventeenth-century author Charles Perrault. Perrault’s Cinderella echoes the elegance and luxury of the French court of King Louis XIV, and it’s from his version that we get Cinderella’s famous glass slippers. Sarah L. Thomson’s beautiful retelling of the classic fairy tale is matched with the uniquely stunning artwork of Nicoletta Ceccoli rendered in acrylics on paper and digitally. This is a picture book to treasure.

About this title

About the Author

Sarah L. Thomson has published more than twenty-five books for young readers. She has created fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose, fantasy and realism for age levels from kindergarten through high school. Her books include an adventure about two friends who rescue a dragon’s egg; a picture-book biography of Abraham Lincoln; and a young readers’ version of the bestselling title Three Cups of Tea; along with poetry for picture-book readers and nonfiction I Can Read! titles about tigers, whales, sharks, gorillas, and snakes. She is the author of Pirates, Ho!, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin; Around the Neighborhood, illustrated by Jana Christy; and Cinderella, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli. Sarah lives in Portland, Maine, with her daughter, who helps with inspiration, and her two cats, who help by lying on the piece of paper that she needs most. Visit her online at www.sarahlthomson.com.

Nicoletta Ceccoli has illustrated many books for children, including The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer and Oscar and the Mooncats by Lynda Gene Rymond. In 2001 she was the recipient of the Andersen Prize for Best Italian Illustrator of the Year, and in 2006 she was the recipient of the prestigious Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York. She is also a four-time recipient of the Award of Excellence from Communication Arts and her art has been exhibited at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair seven times. She lives in Italy. Visit her online at www.nicolettaceccoli.com.

Reviews

This elegant retelling of the beloved fairy tale follows the story line that Perrault introduced and Disney made so familiar. The gentle text streamlines the story, beginning and ending appropriately with “Once upon a time” and “happily ever after.” The fairy godmother appears on cue, applies her magic touch with specific instructions, and then disappears. The prince is rightfully smitten with Cinderella’s “gentle eyes and sweet smile.” Other than the stepsisters being unable to dance at the wedding due to their sore feet, the story plays out as expected. The dreamlike illustrations and Cinderella’s delicate, childlike face and undeveloped figure provide enough room for many little girls to slip inside. The details hint at Louis XIV’s style and have the requisite storybook castle perched on a mountaintop at the end of a winding road. The compositions support the text beautifully, moving readers along in muted tones of mostly blues, greens, and Cinderella’s brown dress. The closing scene is satisfying as the prince tenderly kisses Cinderella’s cheek against a white background with a pink heart-shaped tree and white doves overhead. There’s always room for a good retelling of this classic tale and this one will be loved.–School Library Journal, January 2013

According to Thomson’s author’s note, this version of the famous fairy tale is based on Charles Perrault’s telling, which emphasizes “the elegance and luxury of the French court of King Louis XIV.” And we have Perrault to thank for one of the best parts of the story: Cinderella’s glass slippers. Thomson’s retelling is slight, but it has a few nice touches here and there—for instance, the ugly stepsisters’ feet are so sore from trying to wedge into Cinderella’s slipper that they can’t “dance even a jig.” It’s Ceccoli’s art, however, that makes the book; her ethereal illustrations look enchanted, particularly the richly hued nighttime spreads, which practically sparkle. Fans of Cinderella will welcome a new version (because, really, when you love Cinderella, can you ever get enough?), and it’s also a nice indoctrination for newbies. A quibble: Cinderella looks rather somber throughout, but when she marries the prince, can’t she manage a smile? Grades K-3. --Ann Kelley

Edition details

• Publisher: Two Lions
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0761461701
• ISBN 13: 9780761461708
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ceccoli Nicoletta
• Number of pages: 32