Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper

Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper is a book illustrated by Marcia Brown. Released by Scribner Press, the book is a retelling of the story of Cinderella as written by Charles Perrault, and was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1955.[1] The book takes place in France, in a palace similar to other Cinderella stories.

Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper
AuthorMarcia Brown
IllustratorMarcia Brown
CountryUnited States
GenreChildren's picture book
PublisherScribner Press
Publication date
1954

Plot

A widower marries a haughty woman with two daughters of her own. Both the woman and the two daughter hates the man's daughter called Cinderella. Cinderella is very gentle and beautiful. However, her step-mother and sisters treat her very awful and mean. Cinderella is always assigned to do all the chores around the house and also sleeps in the attic. One day, it is announced that the prince is having a royal ball and invites all the ladies of quality to the ball. Cinderella wants to go the ball but she can't because she is forced to stay home and clean the whole house. Cinderella starts crying as her stepsister goes to the ball while she has to stay and clean. As Cinderella was crying and cleaning, her fairy godmother appears out of nowhere and asks, "why are you crying". Cinderella explains why she is upset to her fairy godmother. After, Cinderella explains everything, her fairy godmother uses her magic power to help Cinderella. The fairy godmother transforms all the mice, lizards, and rats into horses and coachmen for the golden coach. Not only did the fairy godmother turned the animals into horse and coachman but as well, she gave Cinderella a gown made of gold and silver and slippers made of glass. The only thing her fairy godmother asks is to get home by midnight because the magic will end. Entering the ball, Cinderella goes unrecognized by her stepsisters and dazzles everyone there, especially the prince. The prince pays her special attention because he has never seen her before. As, Cinderella dances with the prince, she loses track of time and must leave the ball. Fleeing away from the ball and the prince, one of her glass slippers falls. The prince tries to keep up with her but he couldn't, so he picks up the glass slipper and vows to find her and marry the one that fits the glass slipper. As soon as Cinderella gets home, her gown turns back to rags, the horse and the coachmen turn back to animals, but the glass slipper remain as is. The next morning, the stepsister tell her that the prince is in love with some unknown lady that was at the ball last night. Also, that the prince is going house to house to see who fit the glass slipper, and whoever that foot that fit, he will marry them. As the prince arrives the stepsister tried to fit their huge feet into the glass slipper but it was an unsuccessful attempt. Cinderella tried the slipper and it was a perfect fit, and puts out the other slipper. A few days later, the prince marries the girl who fit the glass slipper as promise. Cinderella forgives her stepsisters for their past meanness.

Theme

The morality and grace are primary themes and are shown through the main character's (Cinderella) ability to achieve success through perseverance and positive behavior when faced with negative circumstances.

Reception

Kirkus Reviews praised Cinderella as having "the smoothness of a good translation and a unique charm to her (Brown's) feathery light pictures." and concluded that it was "Gentle."[2]

References
  1. American Library Association: Caldecott Medal Winners, 1938 - Present. URL accessed 27 May 2009.
  2. "CINDERELLA by Marcia Brown, Charles Perrault | Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
Awards
Preceded by
Madeline's Rescue		 Caldecott Medal recipient
1955		 Succeeded by
Frog Went A-Courtin'
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