Cinder Edna

I first had the pleasure of coming across Cinder Edna one day by randomly plucking it off my charge's bookshelf for story time.

"Oh yeah, that's a good one. You'll love it Chelsea," my eldest charge insisted.

The perceptive young lad was accurate in his assumption, for Cinder Edna proved to be a refreshingly modern take on the stale fairy tale, Cinderella.

Written by Ellen Jackson, and bolstered by the comically outlandish illustrations of Kevin O'Malley, Cinder Edna is widely available at most bookstores with a decent Children's section, Scholastic book catalogs, and online (amazon.com , scholastic.com). This literary gem is most appropriate for K-3rd reading levels. However, the story in itself can be appreciated by all ages.

Cinder Edna examines the lives of two female neighbors, Edna and Ella, stuck in crummy situations and their respective reactions to them. Both vexed by wicked step-mothers and step-sisters, Edna and her more historically famous counter-part share similar troubles, but drastically different coping mechanisms. While Ella prefers to give into the tired old trap of playing the victimized female martyr, Edna chooses to pull herself up by the boot-straps (by cleaning parrot cages and mowing lawns during her free time), for a little extra cash. Certainly beats moaning litanies over the sad, gloomy cinders!

As far as aesthetics are concerned, Edna isn't much to gander at. However, despite being ordinary in appearance, she possesses an extraordinary personality. Ella is quite a Bella, on the other hand, but her physical charms become a moot point once her penchant for self-pity and whining emerges.

On the evening of The Grand Ball, Edna and Ella both make it through their own separate methods. Edna applies her ever-sharp common sense by taking the bus (all while fashioning comfortable dancing loafers and a dress purchased with her cage-cleaning/lawn mowing allowance). Ella arrives thanks to the over-assistance of her Fairy Godmother (who was amazed that her God-daughter couldn't seem to figure anything out for herself, as the book mentions).

Once at the ball, the two diametric dames encounter two equally diametric dudes. One, Randolph, a narcissistic prince (who, if looks could kill, he would be an Uzi). The other, a lad named Rupert (whose not unlike Woody Allen in both looks and charm). I'll leave it to you to guess which dame went with which dude, although it's fairly obvious.

The essential tale of Cinderella ensues with its "Happily Ever After" ending, however, the reader may be surprised at who actually ends up living out the Fairy tale fantasy.

Ellen Jackson's marvelously fractured take on the old tale of Cinderella sends a spectacular message (particularly to young ladies), about the power of female independence, good old gumption, and character triumphing over beauty. She also indicates the folly of the standard, far-fetched Fairy Tale...and does it in a non-abrasive feminist manner. Susan Faludi could pick a thing or two from this book, and so can your little ones.

Appropriate age for independent reading: 2nd grade and up
Appropriate age for reading to: Kindergarden-3rd Grade