Thematic Lists

Think there's just one fairy tale with an overworked girl and wicked stepsisters? Think again! Cultures all around the world have their own Cinderella stories. Visit Canada, China, Egypt, and France, and find out whose glass slippers are made of red silk, and whose fairy godmother is a fish.

Once upon a time in Greece, fate left a young girl an orphan. Her stepmother was so hateful that she counted every drop of water the orphan drank! But with the help of Nature's blessings, the orphan was showered with gifts- brilliance from the Sun, beauty from the Moon, gracefulness from the Dawn-and even a tiny pair of blue shoes from the Sea. When the prince comes to visit their village, he only has eyes for the mysterious beauty.

Once upon a time, in Mexico...in Ireland...in Zimbabwe...there lived a girl who worked all day in the rice fields...then spent the night by the hearth, sleeping among the cinders. Her name is Ashpet, Sootface, Cendrillon . . . Cinderella. Her story has been passed down the centuries and across continents. Now Paul Fleischman and Julie Paschkis craft its many versions into one hymn to the rich variety and the enduring constants of our cultures.

Poor Adelita! Night and day she slaves in the kitchen, and still her stepmother forbids her to attend Javier's party. But with the help of the old servant Esperanza, she disguises herself in a beautiful rebozo, or shawl, and wins Javier's heart. The next day Javier spies the rebozo in Adelita's window, and soon they live muy felices por siempre-happily ever after! Based on Cinderella, Adelita is a wonderfully original story with a spicy Mexican flavor. Incorporating simple Spanish words against a stunning backdrop of Mexican colors and designs, Tomie dePaola has created an instant classic that will delight his many fans.

In this Mexican retelling of the Cinderella story, there is no glass slipper and no fairy godmother. All Domitila has are her innate qualities and talents, resulting in the transformation of Timoteo, her suitor.

Hayes, a veteran folklorist, offers an engaging telling of Cinderella that is popular in the mountain communities of New Mexico. There are some significant variations that add depth to the story, making it in many ways more interesting than the original...The English text, which is made full-bodied by its many details, appears with a Spanish translation. The impressive acrylic illustrations, done in a sturdy folk-art style, are thick with color and bright with humor.

A Spanish American retelling of the familiar story of a kind girl who is mistreated by her jealous stepmother and stepsisters. In this version, the Virgin Mary replaces the traditional fairy godmother

In the Spice Islands, where clove and nutmeg trees grow, a girl named Damura lived long ago. Damura is a beautiful girl, as kind and lovely as the little green parrot that perches on the nutmeg tree. But Damura's stepmother and stepsister mistreat her. They force her to rise before dawn, carry out all the chores, and sleep on the floor. One day, while down by the river, Damura calls out to the creatures of the wild for help. Rising from the waters, an ancient crocodile answers the call. This unusual fairy godmother, aptly named Grandmother Crocodile, outfits Damura in a sarong of gold, with slippers to match, and sends her to the palace to dance for the prince. Once he sees her, the prince knows that she will be his bride. But the fairy tale isn't quite over. Damura's wicked stepmother and stepsister are so jealous that they push Damura into the river, where she is swallowed by a crocodile. Too bad they didn't know about Grandmother Crocodile.... The Gift of the Crocodile, a tale from the Spice Islands in Indonesia, offers a colorful and dramatic twist on the universally adored Cinderella story.

What's more precious than rubies, more lasting than gold? Raisel knows. She learned it from her grandfather, a poor scholar who taught her. When he dies, Raisel finds work in the home of a rabbi. His jealous cook makes Raisel toil from sunup to sundown. And as the Jewish holiday of Purim approaches, Raisel works even harder. The rabbi's son presides over the Purim dinner, and Raisel listens closely when he responds to riddles posed by his guests. Is it possible that this young man can answer Raisel's riddle? Erica Silverman's lively retelling of the Cinderella story features a heroine for whom knowledge is as essential to happiness as love.

In this jewel-like version of a classic story, popular folklorist Shirley Climo tells the tale of Settareh, the Persian Cinderella. Magic enables Settareh to outsmart two jealous stepsisters and win the heart of a prince. But where most Cinderella stories end, poor Sattareh's troubles are only beginning! The unexpected plot twists will enchant readers as they rediscover the familiar tale in the lush setting of long-ago Persia. Shirley Climo's authentic details bring the story to life, and Robert Florczak's stunning paintings echo the vibrant colors and motifs of an ancient land.

Angkat- child of ashes- goes further, survives more, and has to conquer her own mortality to regain her rightful place in this ancient Cambodian tale.

An Iraqi version of the Cinderella story in which a kind and beautiful girl who is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsister finds a husband with the help of a magic fish.
Based on a Cinderella story from Iraq called "The little red fish and the clog of gold" in Inea Bushnaq's Arab folktale

In this Zuni folktale, Turkey Girl's magical transformation ends in disaster when she forgets her promise to return to her flock of birds.

Although she is mocked and mistreated by her two older sisters, an Indian maiden wins a mighty invisible warrior for her husband with her kind and honest heart

A variation on the Cinderella story in which a kind-hearted young Vietnamese woman meets her prince with the help of animals she has befriended.

Detailed research and vibrant illustrations inspired by patterns on Korean temples make this Korean version of Cinderella come to life. This retelling is about Pear Blossom, the stepdaughter being chosen by the magistrate to be his wife.

Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone--except Mufaro--knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered. When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters--but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose?

Presents versions of the favorite fairy tale around the world! Compares cultures, clothing and customs from America, Egypt and Korea.

A gay retelling of the classic fairy tale--a scrumptious love story featuring ungrateful stepsiblings, a bake-off, and a fairy godfather. Cinderelliot is stuck at home taking care of his ungrateful stepsister and stepbrother. When Prince Samuel announces a kingdom-wide competition to join the royal staff as his baker, the stepsiblings insist that Cinderelliot bake their entries, leaving no time for he, himself, to compete. Fairy Godfather Ludwig appears and magically helps Cinderelliot bake his best chocolate cake, clean up, and get to the competition via limo. At the bake-off, Prince Samuel falls in love with Cinderelliot's cake, but our hero has to run off as the clock strikes midnight, leaving behind his chef hat. The next day, Prince Samuel searches the kingdom for the owner of the hat and finds that it fits perfectly on Cinderelliot's head. The prince is delighted to find not only his new baker but also the man of his dreams, and Cinderelliot creates a magnificent wedding cake--and the two live scrumptiously ever after.

What happens when Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel get so fed up with their fairy tales that they decide to switch places with one another? Hilarity ensues in this clever, rhyming story about whether the grass really is greener at someone else's castle.

The story of Cinderella is transported to snowy Russia in Jan Brett's lavish style. One magical night, Cinders, the most picked upon hen in the flock, becomes the most loved by Prince Cockerel when she arrives at his ball looking so beautiful that even her bossy sisters don't recognize her. Jan travelled to Russia and readers will be in awe of the Ice Palace aglow under a deep blue moonlit sky, exquisite ball gowns on the comely pullets, uniforms with gold braids and buttons on the cockerels, striking Russian architecture transformed into ice in the borders, and a very funny flock of chickens who provide an appealing, original look at this snowy Cinderella.

Although mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella meets her prince with the help of her fairy godmother

The classic story of Cinderella gains even more charm in this glamorous retelling by world-famous picture book writer and illustrator Shirley Hughes. Ella Cinders loves helping her father in his dress shop and laughing with her friend Buttons, the store's delivery boy. Then comes the terrible day when her father remarries and everything changes. Her stepmother makes her sew in the dreary basement. Her stepsisters mock her shabby dress. And to top it off, the new Mrs. Cinders forbids Ella to attend the duke's grand ball. Heartbroken, Ella is sure that her life will never be what she dreamed. But with the help of a fairy godmother and some sparkling courage of her own, this Cinderella discovers that dreams can come true in the most unexpected of ways. Join Ella amidst the dazzle and fashion of the roaring twenties as she takes happily ever after into her own hands

James Marshall adds color and humor to the classic fairy tale with his beautiful illustrations. Retold by Barbara Karlin, Cinderella will be a favorite of all children.

Poor Cinderella Skeleton! Her evil stepsisters treat her with scorn and work her from dawn till dusk. But when Prince Charnel hosts his famous Halloween Ball, Cindy finally gets her chance to shine. With the help of a good witch, Cinderella Skeleton is transformed into the belle of the ball and steals the prince's heart. Then just as the sun peeks over the horizon, she must dash away! Will Prince Charnel ever find his true love again?

Once upon a time, there was a sweet cowgirl named Cindy Ellen, who lived with the orneriest stepmother west of the Mississippi and two stepsisters who were so nasty, they made rattlesnakes look nice! But when a fast-talkin' fairy godmother teaches Cindy Ellen a little lesson about gumption, Cindy lassos first place at the rodeo and the heart of Joe Prince.... You may think you've heard the story before--but you'll get a side-splittin' bellyache after you're through with this hilarious rendition told Wild West-style!

The beloved story of Cinderella is the best-known fairy tale in the world. Now Caldecott Honor illustrator (and dog lover) Diane Goode adds her own splash of humor to the fetching tale of a kind and gentle girl who wins the heart of a prince.

It's time for the annual fun-fest in the old growth forest, and this year the Bigfoot Prince is ready to choose his bride. He hopes she will be just like him -- a big, hairy, odoriferous nature lover. Rrrrrella, who's as golden as a banana slug with feet like log canoes, would be a perfect match. But can she get past her awful stepsisters and reach the funfest in enough time to win the Prince's heart?

Bubba, a cheerful soul, leads a miserable life. His wicked step-daddy and two nasty step-brothers, Dwayne and Milton, are at him all day long. When he's not doing their chores, he's cleaning the stables, roping the steers or branding the cattle. When will it ever be Bubba's turn to shine? Miz Lurleen, the purtiest (and richest!) rancher in Texas, is tired of ten-dollar Stetsons on 2-cent heads. She aims to find herself a real man, and a hoe-down ball is just the way to do it. With the help of a fairy godcow and the loss of a cowboy boot, Bubba and Miz Lurleen find each other--and true love--in this funny, fractured role-reversed Texas Cinderella.

In this variation set in the Smoky Mountains, Rose loses her glass slipper at a party given by the rich feller on the other side of the creek, who is looking for a wife.

This dreamy, alliterative and different Cinderella story will have readers doubling over with delight. Dinorella is dying to go to the dance, but her dreadful stepsisters, Doris and Dora, declare she's too dowdy and dull. Dinorella is stuck in the den--until Fairy-dactyl arrives and bedecks Dinorella with some dazzling diamonds, allowing her to depart for the dance.

In this rap version of the traditional fairy tale, the overworked younger sister gets to go to a basketball game and meets a star player, Prince Charming

In this delightful retelling of the classic fairy tale Prince Cinders sets out on an adventure, aided by his very own fairy godmother.

It's 200 years after Cinderella found her prince, but the fairy tale is over. Teen girls are now required to appear at the Annual Ball, where the men of the kingdom select wives based on a girl's display of finery. If a suitable match is not found, the girls not chosen are never heard from again. Sixteen-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia makes the desperate decision to flee, and finds herself hiding in Cinderella's mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all--and in the process, they learn that there's more to Cinderella's story than they ever knew . . . This fresh take on a classic story will make readers question the tales they've been told, and root for girls to break down the constructs of the world around them.

Isabelle should be blissfully happy-she's about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn't the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince's heart. She's the ugly stepsister who cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella's shoe . . . which is now filling with blood. Isabelle tried to fit in. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: it takes more than heartache to break a girl. Evoking the darker, original version of the Cinderella story, Stepsister shows us that ugly is in the eye of the beholder, and uses Jennifer Donnelly's trademark wit and wisdom to send an overlooked character on a journey toward empowerment, redemption . . . and a new definition of beauty.

In this modern twist on the classic story, Cinderella, who would rather just be Ella, meets her fairy godmother, goes to a ball, and makes friends with a prince. But that is where the familiar story ends. Instead of waiting to be rescued, Cinderella learns that she can save herself and those around her by being true to herself and standing up for what she believes.

Before Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters moved into Lancastyr Manor, Cinderella was known as the Lady Rose de Lancastyr. Then her stepmother forced her to become a kitchen maid and renamed her. At first the rats of the manor figure Cinderella for a lack-wit and take pity on her by bringing her food and a special family heirloom. But when Cinderella's stepmother finds a way to prevent her from attending the ball, the rats join forces to help her. The night of the ball is filled with magic and secrets--not least of all who Lady Rose will choose to be her Prince Charming.

Nicolette's awful stepsisters call her "Mechanica" to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother's knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have pushed her into a life of dreary servitude. When she discovers a secret workshop in the cellar on her sixteenth birthday--and befriends Jules, a tiny magical metal horse--Nicolette starts to imagine a new life for herself. And the timing may be perfect: There's a technological exposition and a royal ball on the horizon. Determined to invent her own happily-ever-after, Mechanica seeks to wow the prince and eager entrepreneurs alike.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted. The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Their friendship, as delicate as a new bloom, reawakens Ash's capacity for love--and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love. Entrancing and empowering, Ash beautifully unfolds the connections between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

In a novel based on Chinese Cinderella tales, fourteen-year-old stepchild Xing-Xing endures a life of neglect and servitude, as her stepmother cruelly mutilates her own child's feet so that she alone might marry well.

If the Shoe Fits: Voices from Cinderella takes a fresh look at an old and favorite story. In thirty-three poems it brings to life not only the voices of well-loved characters, but also voices of characters not usually heard from -- including the glass slipper, without which the story would not have a happy ending. On the stage set by the story we hear each player tell the tale from their point of view, answering the questions that swirl around Cinderella: Is the ghost of Cinderella's father at peace in the afterlife? What has made Cinderella's stepmother so cruel? Can a rat be as happy as a human? How do the prince's mother and father feel about Cinderella for their son? Does the Magic One's Magic last forever? Do the glass slippers realize how important a role they play in the life of one girl? Is there a quiet someone, with a gentle purr, who is a secret accomplice? And, finally, what does Cinderella herself have to say to us about her own story?

Created by teachers, for teachers, the research-based curriculum maps in this book present a comprehensive, coherent sequence of thematic units for teaching the skills outlined in the CCSS for English language arts in Grades K-5. The maps address every standard in the CCSS, yet are flexible and adaptable to accommodate diverse teaching styles. Each grade is broken down into six units that include focus standards, suggested works, sample activities and assessments, lesson plans, and more Teachers can use the maps to plan their year and craft their own more detailed lesson plans.
Includes a section entitled "Around the World with a Glass Slipper"

Social Studies Comes Alive provides teachers with critical, creative, and inquiry-based activities to engage students in action research. Students will benefit from learning professional research practices and products that can make a real difference in their lives and those within their communities. Within this text, teachers can select an activity without necessarily reading the entire text. This book expands the repertoire of the classroom teacher to engage and excite students. These instructional approaches and classroom activities are powerful tools for combating student indifference toward social studies that creeps in during middle school and high school. Each lesson comes with instructions and ideas for challenging students in order to guide them to self-directed learning.
Contains a section called "Folklore in the classroom"

Includes a section on Fairy Tales

Includes section on "Fairy tales and folktales"

This book "draws on fairy tales as the context for practicing the scientific method and learning scientific knowledge..

This book helps teachers and librarians to teach basic research and information literacy skills to children. To help them master the research process and narrow the limitless array of sources available on commonly researched topics in elementary and middle schools, students are taught a basic note-taking process and given specific source ideas and subject headings for each topic discussed. This book will be an invaluable tool to help school librarians and teachers broach the difficult task of beginning to teach the research process.
Includes a section on fairy tales.

A collection of nine tales and related math activities

Imagine Hansel and Gretel's story from their teacher's point of view, when Gretel submits her report of, "What I Did in the Holidays, and Why Hansel's Jacket Is So Tight." Learn the story of how Rumpelstiltskin was used by a greedy girl who wanted to marry a prince in "Straw into Gold." Find out what was really underneath all those mattresses the unlucky princess had to sleep on--and who the prince was really in love with--in "The Prince and the Problem." Award-winning author Hilary McKay brings a modern sensibility and inventive quirkiness to this beautiful collection of ten classic fairy tales, reimagining them with emotional depth and lighthearted humor. Each story is also accompanied by delicate black and white illustrations. This sure-to-be treasured collection includes: Rapunzel, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, Rumpelstiltskin, The Pied Piper, The Swan Brothers, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and Hansel and Gretel

Wicked stepmothers, traitorous brothers, cunning foxes, lonely princesses: There is no mistaking the world of the Brothers Grimm and the beloved fairy tales that have captured generations of readers. Now internationally acclaimed artist Shaun Tan shows us the beautiful, terrifying, amusing, and downright peculiar heart of these tales as never before seen. With a foreword by Neil Gaiman and an introduction by renowned fairy-tale expert Jack Zipes, this stunning gallery of sculptural works will thrill and delight art lovers and fairy-tale aficionados alike.

Everyone thinks they know the real story behind the villains in fairy tales'evil, no two ways about it. But the villains themselves beg to differ. In Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's new anthology for younger readers, you'll hear from the Giant's wife (?Jack and the Beanstalk?), Rumplestiltskin, the oldest of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and many more. A stellar lineup of authors, including Garth Nix, Holly Black, Neil Faiman and Nancy Farmer, makes sure that these old stories do new tricks!

What's brewing when two favorites--poetry and fairy tales--are turned (literally) on their heads? It's a revolutionary recipe: an infectious new genre of poetry and a lovably modern take on classic stories. First, read the poems forward (how old-fashioned!), then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Witty, irreverent, and warm, this gorgeously illustrated and utterly unique offering holds a mirror up to language and fairy tales, and renews the fun and magic of both.

The 1950 animated film

The fairy tale characters of Little Red Ridinghood, Cinderella, and Jack (and the Beanstalk) are linked together with the characters of a baker and his wife. Their stories intertwine as they all search for something different in the woods. After they have all found happiness, they must band together to fight a giant

This wonderful collection incorporates the most timeless tales from the best sources of fairy tales: Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Antoine Galland, translator of The Thousand and One Nights. They are sure to delight audiences of all ages. Tales in this collection include Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin, The Frog Prince, Cinderella, or the Glass Slipper, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Wild Swans, Snow White and Rose Red, The Spirit in the Bottle, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Bears, The Musicians of Bremen, The Fisherman and His Wife, and many others sure to be familiar to children and adults alike.