PPBF: 2 Cinderella Tales

Author: Rafe Martin
Illustrator: David Shannon
Publisher: G.P.Putnam’s Sons, 1992
Age: 5-9
Themes: Algonquin Indians, Cinderella
Opening: Once, long ago, there was a village by the shores of Lake Ontario.

Summary: (from my library catalog) In this Algonquin Indian version of the Cinderella story, the Rough-Face Girl and her two beautiful but heartless sisters compete for the affections of the Invisible Being.

Why I like this book: After reading a collection of tales illustrated by Edmund Dulac, and being interested in the Cinderella illustration (see below), I sought out other versions, and wanted to share two of the most stunning I found.

Author: Ai-Ling Louie
Illustrator: Ed Young
Publisher:  Philomel, 1982
Age: 5-9
Themes: Chinese tales, Cinderella, Stepchildren
Opening: Once, long ago, there was a village by the shores of Lake Ontario.

Summary: (from my library catalog) This version of the Cinderella story, in which a young girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the bride of a prince, is based on ancient Chinese manuscripts written 1000 years before the earliest European version.

Resources/Activities: Find more versions, of this tale and others. Compare and contrast what you like, or don’t like, about each one.

from Edmund Dulac’s picture-book for the French Red Cross

For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.