Customer Reviews

Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair: An Empowering Fairy Tale

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This book takes the original fairy tale Cinderella and spins it to a story for children with special needs. I can't wait to read this to my sister. I think this story makes an excellent beginning to talk to your children about acceptance and the differences we all have.

What a pleasant fresh twist on a classic fairy tale.

Not only does it show that girls in wheelchairs can be princesses too, but it also shows that aspiring princesses don't need to wait around for their prince to rescue them. A good lesson for every girl.

As you can see from the cover, the story has been brought forward in time, complete with phones, cameras, and jeans. There is still magic in the story. Although Cinderella's fairy godmother has a bit a a twist. (I won't spoil that one. I think it is cute though) I even chuckled at the way Cinderella handled her cruel step-sisters and step-mother.

I liked the fact that even though the writer made Cinderella strong enough to save herself, she didn't make her super women. She still had the same insecurities as other girls. For example she doesn't go looking for the prince because she is self conscious about her disability and feels her won't want her without her suped-up wheelchair. I know a lot of little girls, and quite a few big ones too, who feel that way. I feel any child, disabled or not, would find things in this book that they could relate to and I think that the book can teach some very important lessons as well. For example, about understanding and about how there is more to people to love than just what is on the outside.

If you are looking for a good children's read for the holidays I would definitely recommend this one. The younger girls I read this to enjoyed it and they really liked the pictures too.

*****In compliance with FTC guidelines, I'm disclosing that I received this book for free through GoodReads First Reads. ****

(I recommend everybody should go check out all the awesome first read giveaways they have!)

Nydia, my 19 year student who uses a wheelchair read this book and loved it. She enjoyed the humor in this modern day Cinderella story. She really likes that Cinderella got her act together without needing the Prince to help her. Nydia felt that the author could relate to her readers because she has a disability. Nydia suggested that service agencies for children with disabilities should distribute copies of this book to the children and young adults that they work with. Nydia has overcome some huge health obstacles (like brain cancer)so she really felt she could relate to this book. While her family does not treat her like Cinderella, people in the community can be very rude, disrespectful and lack understanding about her needs. It made Nydia feel very special to know that someone wrote a book with a person just like her in mind.

Living in a kingdom far away lived a girl named Cinderella. But this girl wasn't your ordinary shining princess that everyone expects, in fact, this Cinderella was in a wheelchair. She lived with her stepsisters and grueling stepmother. Well, the stepmother learned that the King was ill and that he wanted to see his only son married before he dies. So, a royal costume party was going to be held in the prince's honor where any and all interested girls could attend.

Cinderella wanted to go, and being the sneaky and selfish woman that she was, the stepmother made a deal. Cinderella could go only if she made beautiful jewelry for her stepsisters to wear. I think we all know how this is going to go. When Cinderella shows up in a beautiful butterfly costume of her own creation, her family becomes jealous and sabotages her dress and wheelchair so she can't go anywhere.

Sad and discouraged, Cinderella loses hope, until an upbeat fairy godmother in training shows up and repairs the damage to the wheelchair as well as to Cinderella's dress. She even upgrades the wheelchair to one that flies. But of course, the magic only exists until midnight, then all will go back to normal.

Cinderella shows up at the palace and meets the prince, but what is interesting is that she gives him a get well card for the King in hopes that he will get better. Cinderella didn't think about her needs but the needs of others. The Prince saw this inner beauty and fell in love with her, but when the clock rung 12 will he be able to find her after she leaves him, determined that he wouldn't want her as a wife because of her disablility?

This colorful picture book provides a different twist to a well known story. Having a disability does not change a person's inner or outer beauty. This story shows how girls of varying abilities or disabilties can still find love and overcome the odds that are set against them. It is our strength and courage that defines us, not what we look like. Girls who are in wheelchairs, who have faced illness, or injury, will find hope and inspiration in this tale about how dreams can come true.

Can a person in a wheelchair hope to go to a costume party and lead a normal life? Part of Loving Healing Press's "Growing with Love" series, this inventive take-off on the old familiar fairy tale has Cinderella, who lives in a Kingdom far, far away, in a wheelchair. The wicked stepmother and stepsisters are there. The King is ill and wants to see his only son married, so there's going to be a costume party for the Prince to meet all interested women. Of course, the stepsisters are going. The stepmother agrees that Cinderella can go if she manages to create some stunning jewelry for the other girls. So Cinderella helps her stepsisters get ready, and she makes herself a nice, new costume. However, when it's time to go, the stepsisters claw at Cinderella's costume, and the stepmother even punctures Cinderella's wheelchair tire. Will Monique, the student fairy godmother from Enchantment University, be able to do anything for Cinderella? And what will happen to all of Cinderella's hopes and dreams?

Dedicated to "any child who's faced an illness, accident or injury," Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair lets young people with various disabilities know that they can overcome abuse, use their own abilities to build a new future for themselves, and find love that goes beyond mere physical attraction. Author Jewel Kats, who also wrote Reena's Bollywood Dream, a sensitive book about sexual abuse by a relative, knows whereof she speaks. At the age of nine, she endured a car accident which altered her physical abilities forever. After weeks in the hospital and eight leg surgeries, she currently walks with a cane, which is fashionably handpainted, but nothing stops her. Like Jewel, this Cinderella learns to work hard at making her own "they lived happily ever after" ending to the story. Illustrator Richa Kinra's eye-catching painted work is primarily in water colors, acrylics, and oils, but sometimes incorporates colored pencil, dry colors, pen and ink, or collage. This is a cute and heart-warming tale that will appeal to everyone, especially children with disabilities who now have a Cinderella with whom they can relate.

Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair: An Empowering Fairy Tale

Jewel Kats

Loving Healing Press

ISBN 9781615991129

Cinderella's Magical Wheelchair is the best story I have read. It was written with children with disabilities in mind. This book is about a girl names Cinderella who is forced to work for her two step-sisters and step mother. It shows that even with a disability, that all things are possible. Cinderella did what she could to make her life all that much better, even though her step-mother and step-sisters forced her to do everything and always broke their promises.

It shows that no matter what your disability is, you can do just about anything if you set your mind to it. It shows everyone to never give up, for their are ways to make life better. I recommend this book to anyone who is or knows someone who is disabled. It is a great story and it brings a famous fairy tale together with real life disabilities. It is a must have book and everyone could learn something from this book.