The Egyptian Cinderella (Paperback)

~ (Author), Ruth Heller (Illustrator) "Long ago, in the land of Egypt, where the green Nile River widens to meet the blue sea, there lived a maiden called Rhodopis..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In mellifluous prose and majestic illustrations, these collaborators present an inventive twist on the classic tale. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- A stunning combination of fluent prose and exquisitely wrought illustrations. Climo has woven this ancient tale, a mixture of fact and myth, with clarity and eloquence. The beauty of the language is set off to perfection by Heller's arresting full-color illustrations. The story of Rhodopis, a Greek slave girl in ancient Egypt, is an interesting variant of the traditional Cinderella legend. Because of her rosy complexion and fair hair, Rhodopis is scorned and teased by the Egyptian servant girls who work for her kind but disinterested master. Rhodopis' happy fate, becoming the wife of Pharaoh Amasis (570-526 ..), is accomplished through the intercession of the great falcon, symbol of the god Horus. When the majestic bird deposits one of Rhodopis' rosy-gold slippers, a gift from her master, in the lap of the Pharaoh, he determines this to be a signal from the gods to marry the maiden whose foot it fits. Powerful visual presentations reminiscent of the figures on Egyptian frieze paintings and carvings, colorful birds and animals that pulse with life, and information about Egyptian mythology and civilization are subtly interwoven into the traditional folktale. This will certainly be a winner for story hours, as well as a useful resource for the study of Cinderella through the ages and throughout the world. --Martha Rosen, Edgewood Sch . , Scarsdale, NY
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (February 28, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064432793
• ISBN-13: 978-0064432795
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,699 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #11 in	Books > Children's Books > Popular Characters > Fairy Tales & Folk Tales > Cinderella
  #18 in	Books > Children's Books > Literature > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Multicultural

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a good retelling of a classic favorite, August 3, 2005

By	...Loggie... "Loggie-log-log-log" (I live on the earth, in the western hemisphere, in North America, in the country of the United States of America, in Illinois in the town of Champaign) - See all my reviews

This retelling of Cinderella is rather different from the classic version, but still retains much of the same plot. Rhodopis, a Greek slave, is picked on by the Egyptian servants in her master's household. She befriends the animals, and dances for them often. One time, her master saw her dancing and was so impressed that he gave her a pair of slippers gilded in rose-red gold.

When the servant girls go to visit the pharaoh, Rhodopis is left behind to do the washing. A falcon steals one of her slippers, and brings it to the pharaoh, who decides to search for and marry the girl whose foot fits the slipper.

The suddenness of the pharaoh deciding to search for and marry Rhodopis annoys me, but other than that the story is told very well, and the words flow nicely. The illustrations in this book are very beautiful, but slightly different from those I am used to. The manner in which animals and plants appear on every page, especially when Rhodopis is around, is a nice touch.

This book is a good variant on a popular story, and the pictures make it very memorable. A very good book.

Loggie-log-log-log

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Racist? Step-sisters? Read the book!, November 13, 2002

By A Customer

I'm surprised to hear this book described as racist. The inaccuracies in that review leave me to wonder whether the poster actually read the book.

The heroine's name, Rhodopis, referenced her sunburned skin. A real person may have inspired the fable, a light-skinned slave who married a Pharaoh.

The other girls were not step-sisters as the reviewer states, but servants. Rhodopis was a mere slave, making their unkind treatment of her more logical. Due to their rank in the Ancient Egyptian class system, she would be expected to do the less-desirable chores. For a lowly slave to be favored by their master would spawn jealousy and resentment. I don't recall any inference that their demeanor related to their skin color, and the reviewer overlooks the kindly Master and Pharaoh also being dark-skinned.

Such hotly-debated subjects a the race of Egyptians or of Cleopatra have no bearing on the story. Rhodopis is a Greek slave girl, and is neither described as Egyptian, nor called Cleopatra.

A good story with interesting historical references, it's a shame to see it dismissed as racist by a reviewer who clearly has overlooked many details of the book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elementary School Teachers: Buy this book!, May 20, 2001

By	"jfhojai" (Southern CA) - See all my reviews

Climo and Heller are a superb team. This is not only an excellent book for a children's comparative literature study on fairy tales, but also for examining ancient Egyptian art. Heller's work contains surprisingly accurate illustrations of ancient Egyptian decorative motifs and historical and cultural traditions. Students can compare Heller's work to the real thing and find many similarities, such as the lotus blossom architectural columns, the Pharaoh's crook and whip, the feather-patterned jewelry, the false beards worn by royalty, the distinctive combination side-view/frontal-view depiction of humans, etc. Climo's historical notes at the end of the book are fascinating. Her enchanting tale also provides a focal point for class discussions of racial prejudice. This is a gem of a book.