Worldwide Cinderellas, Part 3: Fractured Fairy Tales

While versions of the Cinderella story are found around the world, authors have long had fun turning the tale on its head and creating their own unique (and often humorous) versions. Part 3 in this series on worldwide Cinderellas will introduce you to these fractured fairy tales. Part 1 covered Cinderella stories from Asia, Europe, and Africa, while Part 2 shared Cinderella stories from the Americas. The final post will explain how I teach Cinderella stories.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: a worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleishman and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Not exactly a fractured fairytale, this meta-retelling of Cinderella involves the skillful weaving of a whole collection of cultural versions into one, giant version of the Cinderella story. The illustrations neatly support the merger with a variety of colors and folk art styles. This book makes a great ending to any study of Cinderella stories.

Fractured Cinderella Tales

Cinder Edna by Ellen Jackson and illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. In one of my all-time favorite Cinderella spin-offs, Cinder Edna is poor Cinderella's neighbor. Despite their similar evil step-mother situations, Cinder Edna has quite a different response than the original tale. A great reflection on what might make a true 'happily ever after.'

Cindy Ellen: a wild western Cinderella by Susan Lowell and illustrated by Jane Manning. Cindy Ellen has her heart set on attending the big rodeo in town but will need the help of her creative fairy godmother. The book also has an afterword with some background about the wild west and Annie Oakley.

Cinder-Elly by Frances Minters and illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This urban, New York City-dwelling Cinderella story seems to be showing its age. The rhymes are clunky, illustrations are an odd mix, and I don't understand why her family is mean to her or why, if she is too young to go to a basketball game, she is not too young to then date the main player. Odd. But, on the upside, you have a Cinderella with glass basketball sneakers.

Bubba the Cowboy Prince: a fractured Texas tale by Hellen Ketteman and illustrated by James Warhola. This fractured tale flips the Cinderella narrative's gender roles, and now it is young Bubba harassed by a step-father and step-brothers who wants to court the lovely Miz Lurleen. Plus, nothing beats a fairy godcow or a white horse that turns back into a cow at midnight.

Prince Cinders by Babette Cole. In this hilariously mixed up Cinderella tale, poor Prince Cinders finds himself visited by a fairy whose skills are not quite as promised!

Seriously, Cinderella is So Annoying! (The story of Cinderella as told by the Wicked Stepmother) by Tricia Speed Shaskan and illustrated by Gerald Guerlais. Finally, the "wicked" stepmother gets to tell her side of the story in this perspective-twisting rant.

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert San Souci and illustrated by David Catrow. This impressive, rhyming take on Cinderella features perhaps the most unlikeliest of heroines, Cinderella Skeleton. Despite the high spooky-factor, this one is always a big hit with my students (especially once they find out what Cinderella Skeleton loses after the ball, and it's not a shoe ...).

Dinorella: a prehistoric fairy tale by Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrated by Henry Cole. This absurdist, alliterative angle on Cinderella will especially intrigue students with a fascination for the letter D. This one is not one of my favorites (way too forced) but is fascinatingly farcical enough for a fun fractured fairy tale.

Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella by Tony Johnson and illustrated by James Warhola. This humorous resetting of Cinderella features Bigfoot as the Prince and the woolly Rrrrrella as his Cinderella. A good laugh with some environmental reminders thrown in. (Plus, who wouldn't want to marry a gal who can beat you in a log roll?)

Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. I just had to include this chock-full collection of fractured fairy tales. His dark take on Cinderella might be a bit much for younger readers but will delight those ready for some gruesome details (and inappropriate language).

Do you have favorite fractured Cinderella story? Please share any I have missed, as I love finding out about new stories. You can also check out part 1: Cinderella stories from Asia, Africa, and Europe, part 2: Cinderella stories from the Americas, and part 4: Teaching Cinderella Stories.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Challenge is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and is a weekly roundup of educator blogs that are sharing nonfiction picture books. Click the link to check out other nonfiction posts.

Worldwide Cinderellas, Part 1: "Old World" Tales

The story of Cinderella is so much more than a Disney princess from a tale told by a Frenchman. The Cinderella story arc has been found in the stories and traditions of people and cultures from around the world. Part 1 in this series on worldwide Cinderella stories will focus on original Cinderella tales from the Asia, Europe, and Africa. Part 2 will focus on Cinderella stories from the Americas, and part 3 will cover fractured versions of Cinderella tales. The final post is on Teaching Cinderella Stories.

Original Cinderella Stories from Asia

Yeh-Shen: a Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie and illustrated by Ed Young. This ancient version of the Cinderella tales dates back to the T'ang dynasty of China (618-907 BCE), and the book includes two block-prints from a Ch'ing dynasty edition (1644-1912 BCE). In this original Cinderella tale, Yeh-Shen finds help from the magical bones of the fish she had fed and raised who had been killed by the stepmother. There is also a tiny gold sandal and a dramatic end for the stepmother and stepsister.

The Korean Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller and Pigling: a Cinderella story, a Korean tale retold by Dan Jolley and illustrated by Anne Timmons. Variations on the Pigling Cinderella story have been told in Korea for centuries. The graphic novel version, Pigling, is always a big hit with my students.

Kongi and Potgi: a Cinderella story from Korea retold by Oki S. Han. Another take on the Cinderella story from Korean, based on a popular Korean folktale. Kongi's father sees the unfair treatment of his daughter by his new wife and step-daughter but is afraid to intervene. Kongi is instead helped by a variety of animals and angels to overcome her tasks.

Anklet for a Princess: a Cinderella story from India by Lila Mehta, adapted by Meredith Brucker, and illustrated by Youshan Tang. This Indian Cinderella story is based on oral traditions dating back at least 1,000 years and features Godfather Snake as her magical adviser.

Abadeha: the Philippine Cinderella adapted by Myrna J. de la Paz and illustrated by Youshan Tang. This Cinderella story is a reconstruction based on traditional Philippine folklore and incorporates native flora, fauna, and linguistic terms (defined by context). Young Abadeha is helped by the Spirit of the Forest to complete her tasks and to meet the Prince via an enchanted ring.

 

Tam and Cam: the ancient Vietnamese Cinderella Story retold by Minh Quoc and illustrated by Mai Long (full-color and full-size picture book) and Tam Cam: the Vietnamese Cinderella Story retold by Nguyen Thi Nhuan and Nguyen Thi Hop (paperback sized, line drawings). These two retellings of the Vietnamese Cinderella story broaden the story to a set of half-sisters: Tam and Cam. Both books are bilingual in English and Vietnamese, but neither includes provenance information about the age or date of the original story.

Angkat: the Cambodian Cinderella retold by Jewell Reinhart Coburn and illustrated by Eddie Flotte. A version of this Cinderella story was written down by a French folklorist who lived in Cambodia in the late 1800s and studying Khmer culture. This is the first published adaptation in English, and in this tale, Cinderella (Angkat)'s problems do not end with her royal wedding ...

Jouanah: a Hmong Cinderella adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn with Tzexa Cherta Lee and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. This Cinderella tales was adapted from several centuries-old Laotian Hmong folktales, including those told by the family of one of the authors. Rather than losing her mother to death at the beginning, Jouanah's mother turns herself into a cow for the good of the family, but the family's problems only get worse from there.

The Gift of the Crocodile: a Cinderella story retold by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Reynold Ruffins. This Indonesian version of Cinderella comes from the Spice Islands, specifically the island of Halmahera in the Moluccas, and was collected by missionaries and later published in the early 1900s. Damura (Cinderella) finds that the threats of her stepmother and sisters continue even after the wedding - to dramatic end!

Cinderella Stories from Africa and the Middle East

The Egyptian Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller. This Cinderella story about Rhodopis was first recorded in the first century BC but was based on the life of a Greek slave girl who married the Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis who ruled during the 26th Dynasty (570-526 BC).

The Persian Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Robert Florczak. This version of a Cinderella tale is one of the more than 200 tales from The Arabian Nights, which dates back to ninth-century Persia (modern Iran), though the stories themselves are older still. Settarah (Star), so-named for a star-shaped birthmark on her cheek, draws the ire of her stepsisters but finds help after spending her last coins for a little blue jug.

The Golden Sandal: a Middle Eastern Cinderella Story retold by Rebecca Hickox and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. This Cinderella tale is set in Iraq and is based on two Arabic versions of the folktale: one from Iraq and another from eastern Iran and western Afghanistan. Maha's step-sister gets a rather unusual - and humorous - comeuppance in this telling.

Cinderella: an Islamic Tale by Fawzia Gilani. This recent retelling of the Cinderella tale is given an Islamic twist (no specific country identified). A glossary at the back explains the Arabic terms throughout the story as well as references for the quotations from the Qur'an and Hadith.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: an African tale retold by John Steptoe (Caldecott Honor Book). This African Cinderella story is based upon a traditional Zimbabwe folktale and features many classic Cinderella themes. I highly recommend attending a performance of this story if you ever have the opportunity. It is one that my students have thoroughly enjoyed.

Cinderella Stories from Europe

Cinderella translated by Marcia Brown from the French version by Charles Perrault (Caldecott Award Winner). This classic version of the Cinderella story by Perrault formed the basis for the Disney movie version.

Cinderella: a Grimm's Fairy Tale by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and illustrated by Ulrike Haseloff. This slightly cleaned-up version brings the Grimm brothers' Cinderella tale (Aschenputtel) to the picture book format.

The Orphan: a Cinderella story from Greece by Anthony Manna and Soula Mitakidou and illustrated by Giselle Potter. In this version, our heroine is helped by nature itself and her mother's voice, and the prince sets out a trap to catch her and reveal her identity! This story is loosely based on two different Greek versions.

The Irish Cinderlad retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski. Published accounts of the Irish Cinderlad tale date back to the nineteenth century after bards were again aloud to share native stories, so it is likely that the story itself is much older. Despite being a Cinderlad, Becan is still faced with an evil stepmother and tormented by stepsisters - as well as a giant and a dragon.

Fair, Brown, and Trembling: an Irish Cinderella Story by Jude Daly. In this version, based on a traditional Irish folktale, it is Trembling's actual sisters who treat her poorly and leave her at home. But the adventures does not quite end once the princes have found the owner of the shoe - then they must fight for her!

The Way Meat Loves Salt: a Cinderella tale from the Jewish tradition retold by Nina Jaffe and illustrated by Louise August. This version of the Cinderella tale has links back to a classic collection of Yiddish folktales collected in Poland in the 1920s but also contains echos of other well-known tales, including Shakespeare's King Lear. Yiddish names and words are introduced with a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the story, and a traditional eastern European wedding song is included at the end.

Do you have other favorite Cinderella tales from Asia, Africa, or Europe? Please share them below! Next week we'll take a look at Cinderella stories from the Americas before sharing some favorite fractured versions too. Or, read up on how I teach Cinderella stories to my students.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Challenge is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and is a weekly roundup of educator blogs that are sharing nonfiction picture books. Click the link to check out other nonfiction posts.

"Foolish" Wise Men - folktales from the Middle East and India

I love sharing folktales with kids, as they are enjoyable, short, and often-times humorous. As we are beginning our study of Asia, I thought I would share a collection of some of my favorite picture books featuring "foolish" wise men, as this character has a long history in several Middle Eastern and South Asian countries.

Nasreddine or Hoja

Nasreddine Hoja (many, many English spellings) was a thirteenth-century Turkish folk philospher, known for his common sense and sense of humor. His stories and tales have been told and re-told, and folktales attributed to him are found in many countries, not just his native Turkey.

The Hungry Coat: a tale from Turkey by Demi. This sumptuous retelling of a single Nasrettin story teaches about the danger of caring too much. After Nasrettin is treated poorly by his friends for his smelly attire, he returns well-dressed to teach them a lesson in humility.

Nasreddine by Odile Weulersse and illustrated by Rebecca Dautremer. This version of a different Nasreddine tale imagines him as a child, struggling to make the "right" choice when he finds himself constantly criticized for his decisions. Nasreddine learns the importance of listening to yourself and not the complaints of others.

A Donkey Reads: adapted from a Turkish folktale by Muriel Mandell and illustrated by Andre Letria. This Nasreddin tale places him as an adviser to the Mongol court. Nasreddin helps a poor farmer outwit the tyrant by "teaching" a donkey to read.

Goha the Wise Fool by Denys Johnson-Davies and illustrated by Hag Hamdy and Hany. The authors note explains that Goha is the Egyptian name for our foolish folk hero. These short, pithy tellings of the stories are wonderful, as are the commissioned, stitched illustrations. These amazing little miniatures were hand-sewn by a pair of Egyptian tentmakers.

How Many Donkeys? An Arabic Counting Tale retold by Margaret Read MacDonald and Nadia Jameel Taibah and illustrated by Carol Liddiment. This version of the story comes from Saudi Arabia and features Jouha and his son. Through their attempts to travel with (and count) their donkeys, readers are also introduced to the Arabic pronunciations and spellings of the numbers 1-10.

Nearly Nonsense: Hoja tales from Turkey by Rina Singh and illustrated by Farida Zaman. This anthology of Nasrudin Hoja tales contains a variety of shorter retellings with a mix of almost comic-illustrations and Turkish art motifs. Here, the Hoja is sometimes hapless, sometimes quite clever, and sometimes quite a mix. Many of these will have your students howling with laughter but also stopping to think about the important issues he is raising.

The Wise Fool: Fables from the Islamic World by Shakrukh Husain and illustrated by Micha Archer. This anthology of stories about Mulla Nasruddin or Khoja focuses on his pan-Islamic influences links to central Asia, south Asia, and beyond, and the artwork showcases a variety of styles and influences.

Birbal

The Foolish Men of Agra and Other Tales of Mogul India retold by Rina Singh and illustrated by Farida Zaman. This anthology focuses on another "foolish" man a little later in history, Birbal, the clever Hindu counselor to the Mogul emperor, Akbar. Birbal's use of common sense or initially nonsensical suggestions make for some very engaging and entertaining stories.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Challenge is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and is a weekly roundup of educator blogs that are sharing nonfiction picture books. Click the link to check out other nonfiction posts.