Ella Enchanted

Levine, G. C. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Plot Description: Lucinda bestowed a gift upon Ella the day she was born, although many would not call it a gift but rather a curse.  She must be obedient and follow any order given to her.  After her father loses all his money he weds Madame Olga for her money and Ella gains two step-sisters, Hattie and Olive.  They both learn of her obedience and she becomes their slaves.  Due to her fear of the curse harming Prince Char she rejects his marriage proposal and pretends she has wed an older man. 

When Ella finds out that the royal family is having three balls for Char she can’t stand to stay away.  She attends the balls but pretends to be someone else.  Her and Char become fast friends but when she feels he is getting close to discovering her she runs off, but not before Hattie tears away her mask and her identity is revealed.  In the process of rushing off she loses one of her glass slippers.  The prince immediately comes looking for her at Dame Olga’s house.  He put the glass slipper back on her foot and they are married.

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: This book would be appropriate for grades 4-9.

Similar Books: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine and The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.

Personal Thought: This is a retelling of the classic book, Cinderella with a few changes that keeps the reader interested.

Subject/Themes: Magic, Fairies, Curses, Family, Love, Ogres, Elves

Character Description: Ella is a girl who has been given the gift of obedience.  Her mother dies when she is young and she is forced to move in with her step-mother and step-sisters who make her a scullery maid.

Lucinda is the fairy that put the curse of obedience on Ella

Mandy is Ella’s cook and fairy godmother.  She will not perform big magic

Olive is Ella’s youngest step-sister.  She is not very bright and cannot write very well.

Hattie is Ella’s older step-sister.  She is constantly telling Ella what to do.

Prince Charmont is the prince of Frell.  He likes Ella because she makes him laugh.

Sir Peter is Ella’s father.  He is a trader and is never around.

Dame Olga is Ella’s step mother.

Awards: Newberry Honor Book

Annotation: Ella is on a quest to break the curse bestowed upon her by Lucinda.  Will she be able to figure it out so she can marry the prince or will she be a scullery maid for the rest of her life?