Cindy Ella (Paperback)

by Robin Palmer (Author) "B.T.L. (Before The Letter) I always thought that major life-altering moments happened in dramatic settings..." (more)
Key Phrases: maxi pads, most popular guy, Cindy Ella, Castle Heights, Operation Turn Cindy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
This formulaic, fairy-tale-based romance will be a favorite with girls. -- School Library Journal

Product Description
Prom fever has infected LA—especially Cindy’s two annoying stepsisters, and her overly Botoxed stepmother. Cindy seems to be the only one immune to it all. But her anti-prom letter in the school newspaper does more to turn Cindy into Queen of the Freaks than close the gap between the popular kids and the rest of the students. Everyone thinks she’s committed social suicide, except for her two best friends, the yoga goddess India and John Hughes–worshipping Malcolm, and shockingly, the most popular senior at Castle Heights High and Cindy’s crush, Adam Silver. Suddenly Cindy starts to think that maybe her social life could have a happily ever after. But there’s still the rest of the school to deal with. With a little bit of help from an unexpected source and a fabulous pair of heels, Cindy realizes that she still has a chance at a happily ever after.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Speak (February 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014240392X
• ISBN-13: 978-0142403921
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #145,121 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it !!, February 7, 2008

By	GP "Gerard Patrick" (Los Angeles, California United States) - See all my reviews

I have never been a fan of modern versions of classic fables, but I must say CINDY ELLA worked in almost every way. The writing was fresh and the lead characters were both believable and original. I found myself laughing aloud several times - something I never do.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, February 19, 2008

By	Maria Kalli (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

What a great book for tweens and teens, and adults like me! Funny, wry, insightful, soulful, smart, with a dry wit that will make you laugh out loud and tell the person in front of you "listen to this part, this is so funny!" I loved this book. Buy it in bulk and give it out as birthday presents.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In Flip-Flops Instead of Glass Slippers, February 14, 2008

By	Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

All of her life, Cindy Ella Gold has been aware that her name reminds people of the fairy tale. However, she's not an storybook princess; she's a high school student. When sophomore Cindy writes an 'anti-prom' letter to the editor that gets published in her school paper, most of her prom-obsessed classmates (and even some of her teachers!) are shocked and appalled. Luckily, Cindy's friends and family support her to different degrees, even those who are planning on going to the prom themselves. Before this contemporary comedy is through, Cindy finds another way and another reason to celebrate.

Cindy Ella, Robin Palmer's debut novel, is a modern-day realistic Cinderella story without the fantasy elements. Instead of battling her evil stepmother, Cindy battles her frizzy hair. She doesn't have a horrible home life. In fact, even though she doesn't share their priorities, she gets along fairly well with her father, her half-brother, her stepmother, and her stepsisters. The latter are fraternal twins, popular at their school, anxious to get custom-made dresses for prom. Cindy's friends, peace-and-yoga-loving India and suave eighties film buff Malcolm, offer plenty of tongue-in-cheek commentary about the City of Angels and their affluent classmates. While the main characters acknowledge their wealth and the advantages it provides, Cindy herself prefers flip-flops to pricey shoes and doesn't care at all for shopping.

All in all, a fun read. The easily-flustered title character has plenty of embarrassing moments which will endear her to readers. Instead of scrubbing floors or waiting for her fairy godmother to appear, Cindy baby-sits her younger brother, hangs out with her friends, crushes on senior Adam Silver, and chats with her online pal BklynBoy. She's an L.A. girl, yes, but she's very much an awkward teen, stumbling over her own feet rather than coveting glass slippers. Never aspiring for beauty or a crown makes Cindy a real winner. Recommended for fans of The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot or the Lizzie McGuire television series.