Blog #27

Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella
Written by: Robert D. San Souci
Illustrated by: Brain Pinkney

Aladdin Paperbacks

2002

40 pages

Multicultural

            I chose this book after looking through the traditional literature section at the library.  This is the story of the traditional story of Cinderella that is told in a different culture.  The Caribbean culture portrays Cinderella as the character Cendrillon.  The story has a very similar plot line to the traditional story, but there are some key differences as well.  The story is narrated in French creole language by the character that plays the role of the traditional story’s fairy godmother.  Her name is Nannin’.  Nannin’ begins the story when she was a small orphan girl.  Before her mother died, she gave Nannin’ a magical wand that she could only use for a short time on someone she loved.  Nannin’ held onto the wand until she was old.  Nannin’ was a nurse to a very sickly woman who had a baby.  To thank her, she allowed Nannin’ to be baby Cendrillon’s godmother.  The woman soon died and her husband re-married to a nasty woman who eventually made Cendrillon into a servant in their home.  One day when Cendrillon had grown, Nannin’ heard she wanted to go to a ball.  Nannin’ used her wand to change a breadfruit and rodents into a horse-drawn carriage. She also used her wand to change Cendrillon’s ragged clothes into a gown and slippers.  At the ball, the rich handsome man named Paul fell in love with Cendrillon.  When the clock struck twelve, Cendrillon had to run away and left her slipper.  Paul eventually found her by fitting that lost slipper into her foot and telling her she was beautiful despite her clothes and magic.

            This book is illustrated by Brain Pinkney.  The artwork was rendered using scratchboard, luma dyes, gouache, and oil paints.  The scratchboard illustrations are very detailed with small lines throughout the pictures.  Pinkney used many bright colors such as deep blues, greens, yellows, ad purples that remind me of the Caribbean culture and landscape.  The pictures show action and movement.  I love how the scenes perfectly describe the action going on in the text of the story.  The illustrator used both single page and double page spreads with formal text placement, making this story a mixture between traditional literature and multicultural literature.

            This book is appropriate for students ages fourth grade to sixth grade.  The vernacular used would trip-up younger readers and confuse their reading process. Older readers will know the traditional story of Cinderella and be able to compare and contrast the stories easily.  Younger children in second or third grade would love having this book read aloud to them.  This book could be used in a lesson about other cultures or languages.  I like this book because of the French creole language intertwined into a story similar, but different enough from a traditional story.  This book will really draw the attention of readers.  This book has won no awards.