Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella [Hardcover]

Myrna J. De LA Paz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

"Mother, Oh, Mother, Bathala, Creator of the Earth, Anitos, Spirits of my Ancestors, Hear me and help me..."

As Abadeha wept and prayed, she saw a beautiful woman, bathed in radiant light, who appeared to take her worries away.

So go the blessings of Cinderella's fairy godmother throughout the struggles and eventual triumphs of a young girl against her oppressors. Set in the exotic islands of the Philippines, this tale captures the mystical charm of the indigenous culture of the Filipinos. Colorful images of pre-colonial Philippine scenes, costumes, architecture, and folkways vividly enhance the enchanting narratives.

This retelling of lasting value and universal appeal conveys the deep respect and reverence for nature and the earth inherent in the forever-loved story that will never grow old.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- This version of the familiar story comes with a fairy godmother who makes Abadeha (Cinderella) work for her rewards, three wicked stepsisters, and a stepmother so mean as to make her cross-cultural counterparts look like wimps by comparison. Prince Charming, here a chieftain's son, puts a magic ring on his finger, falls deathly ill, and can be cured only by the maiden who can remove it, who is of course Abadeha. The illustrations depict the clothing and culture of the Muslim minority in the Philippines, but are drawn in a cartoon-strip style best described as watered-down Prince Valiant. The writing is straightforward, if rather plodding, and the dialogue is wooden. Cultural variants of universal tales are always welcome and Philippine folklore is underrepresented in children's literature. However, the quality of this offering precludes its addition to most collections. --John Philbrook, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-9. As de la Paz explains in an author's note, this story, a reconstruction of the Cinderella story from traditional Philippine folklore, has disappeared from mainstream folklore because of Spanish colonization and Americanization. In the tale, Abadeha's father is a fisherman, away much of the time, giving Stepmother and her daughters the opportunity to make the kind, hardworking Abadeha miserable. Abadeha has hard tasks to perform, such as weaving a tattered mat back together. Instead of a fairy godmother coming to the rescue, there are spirits who help her, and a ring she drops is found by the son of the island chieftain. The girl who can remove it from his finger, where it is stuck, will be his bride. This telling is long, but the details are evocative. The colored pencil art is pleasant but oddly generic. Although the characters are in traditional dress, there is no real feeling of time or place. Still, many libraries, especially those with a Filipino population, will want to have this on hand. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 28 pages
• Publisher: Pazific Queen Communications (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962925500
• ISBN-13: 978-0962925504
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,549,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Philippine Cinderella, November 6, 2009

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella (Hardcover)

This story is the classic Cinderella story told from a Philippine perspective. A young woman is harassed and belittled by her step mother and step sisters while her father is away from home. It is more grim than most stories, the girl's pet is killed by the step mother and the girl's work is destroyed sometimes by the mother and sisters to torment her. For a multi-cultural unit about Cinderella tales and for a unit on the Philippines, this book is a must. Young girls will enjoy the story of true love.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Based on a native legend, June 8, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella (Hardcover)

Abadeha is set in the Philippines and is based on a native legend. A young girl whose mother has died is forced to perform impossible tasks by her mean stepfamily. Good reading skills by ages 8-12 will lend to an appreciation of this detailed story of a girl's loneliness and love.