Cinderella's Dress - Hardcover

JANE DYER has illustrated many well-loved picture books, including Oh My Baby, Little One by Kathi Appelt, an ABA's Pick of the Lists and Parent's Choice Recommended Book, as well as the bestselling Time for Bed by Mem Fox. She lives with her family in Northampton, Massachusetts. MEM FOX is the author of many acclaimed books, including Possum Magic, Koala Lou, Time for Bed, and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-It's all about the dress, in this retelling of the familiar tale. Who will actually make it, how will it be created, and what kind of gown will it be? Prior to the entrance of Cinderella's fairy godmother, two magpies observe the girl's harsh treatment from the tree outside her family's home and vow to make her their adopted daughter. Their talents include creating beautiful things from their well-stocked nest of treasures, everything from shiny paper scraps to squares of pretty lace. The birds also possess one cherished prize, a gold ring, which as it turns out was "hammered from fairy gold" and given to Cinderella by her mother before her death. When the ball invitation arrives, the birds secretly craft an exquisite gown for her, but her ill-favored stepsisters handle it until it rips to shreds. The magpies then learn that Cinderella is the owner of their treasured ring and return it in time for her to make a wish and be rewarded by her fairy godmother. Willard has focused on a detail of the traditional story and expanded it into a yarn of its own. The descriptive rhyming text is uneven in places but reflective of the enchanting mood. Muted watercolors bring out the whimsy and fanciful spirit of the story. Overall, however, both the text and the art of this unconventional spin on the tale seem to get bogged down in the window dressing and lack the tension or emotional resonance of a memorable offering.
Rita Soltan, Oakland University, Rochester, MI
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