CINDERELLA by Marcia Brown

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brown, Marcia. 1954. Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper. Trans. From Charles Perrault. United States: Troll Associates. ISBN 0684126761

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The beautiful, kind and hard-working Cinderella is mistreated by her step-mother and two, spoiled step-sisters. With the magical help of her fairy godmother (who warns that the magic will end at midnight), Cinderella is able to attend two balls. She goes unrecognized at both balls where her beauty and charm delight everyone, especially a prince. At the second ball, she looses track of the time and must flee abruptly at midnight, leaving one small, glass slipper behind. The smitten prince vows to marry the one who fits the slipper. After the prince’s herald arrives and the stepsisters unsuccessfully attempt to fit the tiny slipper, Cinderella puts on the shoe and produces its mate. Her godmother reappears and transforms her outfit into a splendid gown. After forgiving her step-sisters, she goes to (and a few days later) marries the prince.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The winner of the Caldecott Medal in 1955, Marcia Brown’s translation of the Charles Perrault version is more authentic than the syrupy Disneyfied version that many associate with the tale. Although the text may be a bit lengthy and some of the vocabulary inaccessible for the youngest children, older children will delight in the details. The subtle pastel and black line artwork is a good complement to the text and transports the reader to the distant once-upon-a-time past. Much about the dress, style and decorum of the time are revealed through the illustrations. As is typical for characters in folk tales, Cinderella is a very two-dimensional persona. It is unfortunate that her value comes primarily from her beauty (rather than her unflagging kindness). The other characters are depicted as rather flat as well, with little development of the fairy godmother or prince. But with hope that the step-sisters have mended their ways and a happy ending, the reader or listener will be left satisfied overall.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From Books in Print database: “This translation is excellent for story-telling and also for reading aloud. Marcia Brown's illustrations are full of magic and enchantment…”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Compare versions of Cinderella:
By Gender-
Bubba, the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman ISBN 0590255061
Prince Cinders by Babette Cole ISBN 0698115546
By Culture-
Yeh Shen by Ai-Ling Louie ISBN 0698113888
Fair, Brown and Trembling by Jude Daly ISBN0374422575
*Perform a dramatic interpretation
*Write a “fractured” ending
*Write a modern Cinderella
*Read other fairy tales collected by Charles Perrault