· Author: Susie Hoch Morgenstern
· Chapter Book
· Publication Date: 2002
· Genre: Fiction
· Age Range: 8-12 years old
· Awards Won: None
The first story in this book is clever since instead of the protagonist going from being normal to a member of the royal family, Morgenstern has the protagonist (Princess Yona) go from being royalty to trying to blend in with her subjects. One could consider it a play-off of the Cinderella story since it is almost a reversal of fortune. Similarly, the second story involves a princess (Emma) looking for her Prince Charming and gives readers a comical insight to how difficult this can be for royalty. This is also similar to the Cinderella story since it involves a young woman (although in this case a princess) looking for her Prince to solve some of her problems (such as a terrible itch she has on her back). These two stories would be a great resource for anyone wanting to examine how components of the Cinderella story are now used in very creative ways to continually engage children today. One would also enjoy these books if they are looking for an interesting read and/or to show children how the Cinderella story has manifested itself in many different ways over the past decade.
Author’s Website: http://susie.morgenstern.free.fr/siteweb/Welcome.htm