Journey with Millicent and Matthew as their grandmother shares many exciting versions of Cinderella with them. Using a word for each letter of the alphabet, the author introduces twenty-one Cinderella stories from eighteen cultures. This book takes a holistic look at the elements of Cinderella stories told around the world that will delight readers of all ages.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4?Framed by Grandma's bedtime telling, this Cinderella story struggles to be an alphabet book. Each letter attempts to connect the familiar French version to a Cinderella story from around the world, e.g., A ("ashes") summarizes a Native American tale that features a girl whose "face has been scarred by burning cinders"; B ("ball") mentions that in the Chinese version, Yeh-shien wanted to attend a cave festival instead of a ball. Other letters introduce ideas that may be too abstract for the intended audience (e.g., "role-reversal"). Only the bare bones of the tales are presented; a source note states that the original versions were consulted and provides their country of origin, but little else. Although the writing is serviceable and the concept may create interest, Bartsch's illustrations spoil the book. Sketched by hand and then scanned into a computer, these simple line pictures are a blend of high-tech coloring and amateur drawing. Human figures are poorly executed, with harsh lines and odd postures; pictures are sometimes blurry; and the colors are often garish. Although 18 cultures are represented in the stories, all of the human figures are obviously Caucasian.?Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From the Publisher
From A to Z, twenty-one variations of the Cinderella tale are sure to delight young readers. "Midnight: A Cinderella Alphabet" takes us on a magical journey through world cultures and explores Cinderella, an age-old heroine, and a character to which we can all relate. Over the centuries, the United States has become a nation of myriad cultures. As a homogenous populace, we are constantly aware of the need to achieve a better understanding of ourselves and others. Our very young children can acquire that increased awareness by virtue of "Midnight's" cultural odyssey.
For that very reason, Stephanie Perkal wrote this story. "Midnight" should be read by people of all ages because, "It reinforces the fact that no matter how different another culture may seem, all people have many things in common." Miss Perkal feels that everyone, especially young children, should be encouraged to learn about other cultures; and she acknowledges that the very best way to teach children to accept and cherish people's differences is to first see the similarities we all share.
This 32-page alphabet book explores versions of the Cinderella story from eighteen cultures. A grandmother takes us along on a night ride around the world as she shares Cinderella stories with her grandchildren. "Midnight" is like having countless adventures in one book. As Grandmother explores the many facets of Cinderella, we learn about other people's traditions and lifestyles. Who is Cinderella -- a princess, a scullery girl, a turkey maiden? And her prince -- is he a nobleman, a poor boy, or truly a prince? What about the fairy godmother -- is she a frog, a magical fish, or a kind-hearted spirit?
Come to the ball with Cinderella and see what happens when the clock strikes "Midnight"!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
great way to introduce ABCs and other cultures,
By A Customer
This review is from: Midnight: A Cinderella Alphabet (Hardcover)
This book is a great way to introduce both the Alphabet and other cultures to your child. My two kids like it read to them at bedtime, just like the two kids in the story! It's true that the main illustrations don't necessarily match the stories that are described, but there are vignettes on each page that nicely illustrate smaller aspects of the story being told.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Creative and innovative approach to teaching the alphabet,
By A Customer
This review is from: Midnight: A Cinderella Alphabet (Hardcover)
This warm and touching book will educate and inspire your children. The clever adoption of Cinderella stories from around the world teachs children about other cultures and ways of life in an inviting and accessable way. I wish there had been books like this when I was a child -- in order to learn about Nigeria, Vietnam, and Norway. This author's creative approach to teaching the alphabet and world cultures is sure to be one of your child's favorites
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cinderella meets ABCs,
By Charlotte Gayle "CharlotteGayle" (NorthCarolina) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Midnight: A Cinderella Alphabet (Hardcover)
This is an excellent alphabet book that uses Cinderella aspects to build the ABCs. Great fun for collectors of ABC Books and Cinderella books.
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