GREENAWAY MEDAL WINNER – 2003
by Shirley Hughes
London: Bodley Head, 2003
44 pp.
Age: 4+
Interests: fairy tales, fashion, love stories, magic
Also by this author: Dogger
The classic fairy tale Cinderella updated to the 1920s. Mr. Cinders and his daughter Ella run a successful high-fashion dress shop. When he remarries Ella is treated like one of the hired help, slaving all day at the sewing machine while her stepsisters model the dresses and lounge about. Her only ally is the loyal delivery boy Buttons. After the fairy tale events play out and the Duke has asked her to marry him, Ella turns him down in favour of Buttons, and they ride off into the sunset on his bicycle.
A convincing update of the familiar tale, filled with ravishing flapper fashions. Ending where she chooses a more humble life with the boy she loves is thoroughly modern and perhaps even more satisfying than the old ending. And Ella herself is rather full-figured, compared to her rail-thin step-sisters. A nice ‘antidote’ to the regular princess fare out there, though still full of glamour and beautiful dresses.
Rarest Kind of Best 