Product Description

The famous Cinderella and her neighbor Cinder Edna each worked sunup to sundown for their wicked stepmother and stepsisters. But while Cinderella had the good fortune to be rescued by her fairy godmother, Edna was strong, self-reliant, spunky--and she lived happier ever after! "Nicely executed....This Cinderella send-up is full of kid-pleasing jokes."--Publisher's Weekly.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19983 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-24
• Released on: 1998-09-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Instead of glass slippers, Cinderella's neighbor Cinder Edna wears comfortable penny loafers to the ball, where she falls in love with the prince's goofy, tender-hearted younger brother. "Full of kid-pleasing jokes," said PW. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-This clever, double story follows the fates of two young women. Readers know Cinderella, who works all day, sits in the cinders, and needs her fairy godmother to get the ball moving. But Cinder Edna next door has used her spare time to learn 16 different ways to make tuna casserole and to play the accordian. She earns money by cleaning out parrot cages and mowing lawns, and can she tell jokes. When the dance is announced, she dons the dress she bought on layaway, takes the bus to the ball, and wears loafers for dancing. She wins the attention of Prince Randolph's younger but dorky brother, Rupert, who loves to dance and tell jokes, and runs the palace recycling plant. Both women dash off at the stroke of midnight. The two princes' plans for finding the owners of the lost glass slipper and the beat-up loafer are a hilarious contrast. Ella ends up, of course, with the vain, boorish Randolph. Edna moves into a solar-heated cottage, caring for orphaned kittens and playing duets with her husband Rupert. O'Malley's full-page, full-color illustrations are exuberant and funny. Ella is suitably bubble-headed and self-absorbed while Edna is plain, practical, and bound to enjoy life. Kids will love this version of the familiar story for its humor and vibrant artwork. Buy two copies-one to circulate and the other to hoard for story hours.
Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. In a modern feminist version of Cinderella, the strident message overwhelms the magic, but, fortunately, humor softens the commentary. Two stories are told side by side. The traditional passive Cinderella is the neighbor of liberated Cinder Edna. Cinderella is weak and victimized, and she needs a fairy godmother to get her to the ball. Cinder Edna also has a hard time at home, but instead of moping in the cinders, she earns money mowing lawns and cleaning parrot cages. She's not beautiful, but she's strong and spunky and funny. She wears comfortable loafers to the ball--and she takes the bus. What's more, the prince is boring; it's his younger brother, Rupert, who attracts Cinder Edna. They dance and boogie all night; they swap jokes and recipes; they talk about waste disposal and ecology. O'Malley's contemporary comic illustrations extend the parody and exaggeration. Stiff dumb-blonde Cinderella and her smirking prince are shown in their dull public roles. In contrast, the uninhibited Cinder Edna and her boyfriend (who looks a lot like Woody Allen) live happily ever after in their solar-heated cottage with a bunch of orphaned cats. There's fun in the literal reduction of the fantasy as well as in the transformed role models. Hazel Rochman

Customer Reviews

Best picture book ever--great for teens AND kids!
I am a teenager and I read this book as part of an assignment in class. The book of Cinder Edna shows the plasticy-type "teenager," with a perfect, paper thin look, versus the homely, sensible girl with character. Cinderella marries the prince and has to sit through royal meetings and all of that, and Cinder Edna gets to marry the not-so-handsome prince and live happily. and have fun.
Any teen like me who ISNT one of the pretty or popular girls will get a boost of self-esteem when they read this book. I would reccomend this book to be in psychologist's offices and anorexic hospitals and the like ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I loved Cinder Edna. Your child will too.

A marvelously funny variation on the Cinderella story
Sure, there are plenty of retellings and variations on "Cinderella", but this one takes the cake. It compares the fates of TWO victims of cruel stepmothers and wicked stepsisters. Bringing the story up to date gives it a deliciously anachronistic feel, and the narrative pokes some sly and well-deserved fun at the original. The hilarious illustrations enhance the text perfectly. Don't let the fact that "Cinder Edna" is aimed at young children keep you away. This is one of the funniest and cleverest books to come along in a long time.

Absolutely hysterical, but can be hard to understand
I am a teacher, and I bought this book for my 3rd grade class when we were doing a unit on Cinderella. This is a fabulous take on the classic story, updated wonderfully. But some of the ideas had to be explained to my children because it was a lot to take in. They didn't get some of the jokes. In the end, I think that most of them got the general idea. The moral is a great lesson for kids these days.