Cendrillon : A Caribbean Cinderella [Hardcover]

Robert D. San Souci (Author), Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)

Book Description

You may think you already know this story about a beautiful servant girl, a cruel stepmother, a magnificent ball, and a lost slipper. But you've never heard it for true.

Now you can hear the tale from someone who was there: a poor washerwoman from the island of Martinique. She has just one thing in the world to love, her goddaughter Cendrillon. When she finds Cendrillon heartsick over a rich man's son, at first she doesn't know what to do. But she has sharp wits, a strong will, and the magic wand her mother left her -- and soon she has a plan to give her dear Cendrillon the gift of a love that will change her life.

A Caldecott Honor author/illustrator team brings us a unique Cinderalla story, with a remarkable fairy godmother to tell the tale. Adapted from a traditional Creole story, this fresh retelling captures all the age-old romance and magic of Cinderalla, melding it with the vivid beauty of the Caribbean and the musical language of the islands.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"You may think you know this story I am going to tell you, but you have not heard it for true," begins the washerwoman and unlikely godmother who narrates this spirited retelling. From the team behind The Faithful Friend comes an adaptation of a Creole tale that recasts familiar elements into the fashions and customs of the colonial West Indies. There is the haughty stepmother Prosperine, "puffed-up proud because her grandfather had come from France," the godmother who taps a breadfruit with a mahogany wand and transforms it into a carriage, and Cendrillon, who escapes at midnight with one pink slipper embroidered with roses. Pinkney's oil and scratchboard illustrations burst with vigorous movement as he captures the exotic palette and the lush textures of the "green-green island in the so-blue Mer des Antilles." The lyrical cadences of the text spattered with French and Creole words combine with the sensuous paintings to bring the tropics to life. However, the story's charm lies not in the well-matched Caribbean bride and groom or in the (rather predictable) happy ending, but in the authentic voice of the godmother. Her affection for the kind Cendrillon inspires her bold and selfless acts to ensure the happiness of another (and her quirky foibles prove equally appealing as she indulges in bowl after bowl of chocolate sherbet while proudly watching the couple's nuptials). Through this colorful and deeply human godmother, readers witness the enduring power of love. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-A Caribbean Cinderella story, told from the godmother's point of view and brought to life by Pinkney's distinctive scratchboard illustrations. Based on West Indian versions of the story, the narrative is full of French Creole words and phrases. It tells of a poor washerwoman who is left a magic wand by her mother and discovers its power to help her beloved goddaughter. A fruit a pain (breadfruit) is transformed into the coach; six agoutis (a kind of rodent) become the horses; and Cinderella's slippers are bright pink with roses embroidered on them. Pinkney's art perfectly conveys the lush beauty and atmosphere of the island setting, featuring vibrant peaches, lavenders, aquas, and greens against the background of the sea. Frames of native greenery, shells, exotic blossoms, and small creatures are interwoven around most of the text, integrating it with the story's scenes to excellent effect. The result is an outstanding Cinderella variant for any collection.
Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068980668X
• ISBN-13: 978-0689806681
• Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 10.2 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,279,602 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos!, February 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cendrillon : A Caribbean Cinderella (Hardcover)

This is a wonderfully rich retelling of the traditional French Cinderella story, set in the Caribbean. As a school librarian I've shared this title with students to compare it to the traditional version. They love it! The pronunciation guide in the back is most helpful. The story is unique because it is from the point of view of the spunky godmother. Pinkney's scratchboard illustrations are perfect!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is magical!, December 7, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Cendrillon : A Caribbean Cinderella (Hardcover)

I think Cendrillon is a great book if you like Cinderella. I think Robert D. San Souci the auther did a great job. It is very alike with Cinderella and very different.
Mannin's mother dies and gives her something very special. Cendrillon's mother died soon after. Her father maried a madame. Madame has a child. They have a party. The Madame and her daughter get invited to a ball. Cendrillon really wants to go. Mannin helps her get to the ball.
I feel that it is very ezciting. I like the pictures in the book Cendrillon because they are colorful and detailed.

By: Magen

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cendrillon "looks like me", January 25, 2003

By 

Mrs. B (Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella (Paperback)

I quite enjoyed this Caribbean version of Cinderella. As a white parent of a Haitian child, I found this story to remind my daughter of the country in which she was born. The illustrations and the language all contribute to a new perspective on a familiar story that engages the reader completely. We quite enjoyed seeing a "familiar" fairy tale re-told with a "new" heroine. My daughter quite enjoyed seeing a Cendrillon that "looks like me."