The Best of Cinderella

Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper, a fairy tale about an oppressed young woman who overcomes her dire circumstances through perseverance and kindness. Known internationally by many names: Rhodopis in Greece, Cenerentola in Italy, Ye Xian in China, and Tấm Cám in Vietnam are just a few examples. French author Charles Perrault (1628-1703) wrote his version, Cendrillon in 1697 well after all of these stories had been conceived but his tale has become the most popular and most widely retold in English. Even Aschenputtel by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 did not outshine it. The supernatural elements that Perrault included in his story, such as the fairy godmother and her powers of transformation might be the extra glitter that adds just a touch more excitement to this rags to riches fairy tale.

Rehashing old stories is not a new phenomenon and the story of Cinderella and its variants are published yearly; a testament to it being a continued financial success. Below are some favourites from our collection in no particular order. Listed are only standalone English versions. Stories belonging to a compilation are omitted from this list. The quality of writing, artwork, design, and binding are taken into consideration.

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This lovely book published by Disney Press in 2015 is a movie tie-in. Written in simple rhyme by Brittany Candau, the story is a shortened version of the Disney live action adaptation starry Lily James. You won't need to have watched the movie to enjoy the book; it holds its own as a stand-alone storybook. Digital illustrations by Cory Godbey offer a modern touch. It's luminous and romantic, adding more interaction between Ella and the prince. This slightly larger than average size book comes with a velvety dust jacket that feels nice to the touch. Also available as a chapter book for preteens. At the time this book came out, a digital copy of it was included with purchase for download through Disney Story Central. That online store has now retired and ebooks bought there are not retrievable. It's always better with a physical copy.

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi - Illustrated by Roberto Innocenti

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Lorenzini, known by his pen name as Carlo Collodi, was first published in an Italian newspaper for children in 1880. The story is of a puppet carved from a magical piece of wood, whose self-serving behaviour leads him on a series of misfortunes. He is guided by a fairy to help him learn about action and consequence. Only after being tricked many times and the fairy’s promise of transforming him into a human boy does Pinocchio begin to repent and finally in the end, truly feel.

This lengthy fairy tale is illustrated by Roberto Innocenti. With fifty-six gorgeous illustrations in varying sizes and a clean layout, make this story seem anything but long. The setting is old Italy with aged buildings, villagers at work and country life. To show the passing of time, the different seasons are shown. The colours are mostly in darker tones, expressing the grim and solemn scenes. The detailing for the illustrations is fantastic and many have Roberto Innocenti’s signature perspective view.

Recommended for ages 5+. Some scenes can be a little dark like the part where Pinocchio gets hanged or when he sees an apparition of black rabbits carrying his coffin. The story was translated in its entirety from Italian to English by Mary Alice Murray.

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Creative Editions 2005
Hardcover 192p/dust jacket
8.8" x 11.6"