Would you like to read about a different kind of Cinder Ella? This Cinder Ella is a little off-beat. She wears camo pants, flannel shirts and dragonās tooth earrings. Without thinking of any danger, she climbed trees straight to the top, rode horses without a saddle and shot arrows with abandonāand not much skill.
What will she do next?
Despite her high spirits and shenanigans, no one notices Cinder Ella. She shuffles around, trying to blend into the background with other people. Will her life ever get better? Or will she always be smudged with cinders and eating the leftovers?
Will there be any magic for her?
Recommended age range 7-12, or maybe 32.
Would you like to read about a different kind of Cinder Ella? This Cinder Ella is a little off-beat. She wears camo pants, flannel shirts and dragonās tooth earrings. Without thinking of any danger, she climbed trees straight to the top, rode horses without a saddle and shot arrows with abandonāand not much skill.
What will she do next?
Despite her high spirits and shenanigans, no one notices Cinder Ella. She shuffles around, trying to blend into the background with other people. Will her life ever get better? Or will she always be smudged with cinders and eating the leftovers?
Will there be any magic for her?
Recommended age range 7-12, or maybe 32.
This modern-day fairy tale is all about Cinder Ella AKA Cheyenne and her mean stepmother and stepsisters. She has the same troubles as Cinderella in the classic fairy tale, such as she has to clean up after the awful new wife and new siblings her father brings into the house, there is a dance, a shoe and a prince-ish guy that comes looking for her.
Moving through the story at breakneck speed, Cheyenne/Cinder Ella is much more mature than the suggested age group. It is written for 7 to 12-year-olds and is more suited for the older end of this age group due to the vocabulary. Let me make it perfectly clear that there is nothing inappropriate at all, but the maturity level to understand words such as obligatory, endorsed, drudgery and taffeta would be lost on most 7-year-olds.
The illustrations are enchantingly beautiful, bringing the characters to life. It isnāt a graphic novel, nor is it a picture book. The 7 and 8-year-olds would love the illustrations, but most 12-year-olds donāt need illustrated books.
The conclusion of The Off-Bead Cinder Ella Who Wants Her Shoe Backā¦Without the Prince is my favorite part of this book. She makes choices that are right for her, which is the best way for anyone to be truly happy.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free fromĀ Reedsy Discovery in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright Ā© 2020 Laura Hartman