Product Description

"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 illustrations.A stunning combination of fluent prose and exquisitely wrought illustrations [that makes] a winner for story hours, as well as a useful resource for the study of Cinderella through the ages." —SLJ.

Notable 1989 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #183314 in Books
• Brand: HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS
• Published on: 1991-12-01
• Released on: 1992-02-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780064432795
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

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.

About the Author
Shirley Climo's love of folklore began in her childhood and has provided the background for many of her children's books, such as The Korean Cinderella, Magic & Mischief: Tales from Cornwall, A Treasury of Princesses: Princess Tales from Around the World, A Treasury of Mermaids: Mermaid Tales from Around the World, and Someone Saw a Spider: Spider Facts and Folktales, an NCTE Teacher's Choice and Library of Congress Best Children's Book that was originally inspired by her research for Cobweb Christmas. Mrs. Climo and her husband live in Los Altos, California.

In Her Own Words...

"To write children's books always seemed the most wonderful goal in the world to me-and the most natural. My earliest memories are of being rocked in a creaky wicker swing while my mother, a children's book author, tried out various versions of her stories. Long before I could read, I'd begun telling my own tales to anyone willing to listen.

"I grew up, raised three children, a half dozen dogs, a clutch of cats, a horse, and a straggle of chickens. Each new addition provided story-telling material, and many two-legged and four-legged household members found their way into print. Even more important, I found that writing for young people was every bit as wonderful as I had hoped.

"My first book was Piskies, Spriggans and Other Magical Beings, a collection of folklore. My latest book is a revised and newly illustrated edition of Cobweb Christmas. Like the tradition of tinsel itself, the story of the spider's Christmas has become a part of holiday celebrations around the world. Its message of kindness to animals is as fresh today as it was when Cobweb Christmas was first told in Germany over two hundred years ago. In the twenty years between those two books, I've written picture books for the just-in-school set, chapter books for primary readers, story collections and nonfiction for middle grades, novels for preteens, and four retellings of the Cinderella theme -- Egyptian, Korean, Irish, and Persian. I seldom stray very far or for very long from the favorite folktales of my childhood.

"A century ago, folklorist Andrew Lang said, "Nobody can write a new fairy tale; you can only mix up the old stories and put the characters into new dresses."

"For me, playing dress-up is fun at any age. "

Customer Reviews

a good retelling of a classic favorite
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

Racist? Step-sisters? Read the book!
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.

Elementary School Teachers: Buy this book!
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.