Summary:
The story of Cinderella is one that is known by many. Shortly after Cinderella's mother dies, a new step-mother moves in, and things quickly slide downhill for Cinderella. The step-mother and her two daughters torment Cinderella and essentially enslave her. Then the king decides to hold a festival in order to find his son a wife. Cinderella chooses not to listen to her step-mother and ends up going to the festival all three nights. Cinderella marries the Prince, and the evil stepsisters have their eyes plucked out...by birds!
Personal Reaction:
I have always grown up with the Disney version of this story, so when I read the Grimm’s brothers version I was a little bit shocked. I loved the dark and twisty aspect of the story but I’m a Disney fan girl at heart.
Extensions:
1. Have the children sort clocks into midnight or not midnight in order to start lesson planning with teaching children how to read clocks
2. Explain what other ways Cinderella could of went to the ball without sneaking out

Aided by the birds who have witnessed her weeping by her mother' grave, mistreated orphan Cinderella finds a way to go to the prince's ball in this retelling of the classic fairy-tale, in which the little cinder-girl wins her love. This is a translation of the Brothers' Grimm tale, Aschenputtel, rather than the more common French Cendrillon, so here there is no fairy-godmother, nor a coach made from a pumpkin. Rather, Cinderella's gown and silk slippers are provided through the magic of the birds, who also aid her in sorting a pile of lentils from the ashes, a seemingly impossible task set her by her malicious stepmother. Here there is no warnning about leaving the ball by midnight, although our heroine does leave behind one of her slippers while running off, which the enamoured prince uses to track her down.

This lovely retelling, with artwork by German artist Ulrike Haseloff, was originally published in Germany and then translated into English by Edinburgh-based Floris Books, who have also made the work of such authors as Elsa Beskow (Swedish) and Daniela Drescher (German) available to English-language readers. As someone who likes to read variants of the same tale, in order to compare and contrast, it was refreshing to be reminded that the German Cinderella is a little different from the French one, as I think the latter is the one English speakers are most familiar with. I enjoyed Haseloff's artwork, particularly the costumes she clothed her characters in - I admit it, I even liked the gold and silver glitter of Cinderella's gown - and the charming cats who lived in Cinderella's house. Recommended to all young fairy-tale lovers! ( )