Title: Just Ella
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Illustrator:
Number of Pages:
Publisher:
Copyright Date:
Grade Level: Intermediate Grades (4th-6th)
Honors/Awards:
Type of Book: Novel
Synopsis:
The story of Cinderella... the real story of Cinderella... after the not-so-happily ever after. We learn about how Ella (called "Cinders-Ella" by her stepsisters) really made it to the ball, won the prince, made it to the castle, became a princess, and after a stunning turn of events, was able to find her real happily-ever-after.
Ella was just a normal young girl whose father got remarried to a stuck-up woman who had two stuck-up daughters. Ella was slowly turned into a servant in her own home as Lucille (her stepmother) came to convince her father that Corrimund and Grizelda couldn't do the hard labor that Ella was so fortunate to be capable of. When her father passed away while crossing the Sualan border to buy books, Ella began to be treated even worse. So when the invitation came inviting all eligible young ladies to a ball in honor of Prince Charming, Ella saw it as an opportunity to gain some independence from Lucielle and the "Step-Evils," as she called them. She would try to find work as a tutor.
Out shopping one day, she found a glass blower who, wanting to show off, agreed to make glass slippers for her. She found her mother's wedding gown in the attic and, after helping the Step-Evils off to the ball, scrubbed herself down and was off!
When she entered the ballroom, she was taken into one ballroom while the girls she entered with were escorted into another ballroom. She spent the night dancing with the prince, and lost track of the time. When the clock struck twelve, she ran out of the ballroom, remembering that she had to clean the attic before the others got back home.
The next day, the prince found her and whisked her off to the palace, where for months she took lessons (which she hated) to learn how to act like a princess (which she was very bad at). When one of her teachers has a stroke, his son, Jed, is sent to teach the class in his place. Immediately, Ella and Jed become great friends. Ella also befriends a servantgirl, Mary. And in the midst of her making friends in the castle and her boring lessons about how to be a princess, she is able to see Prince Charming ("Charm," as she refers to him in her imagination) only once in a while with a chaperone.
Ella soon falls out of love with the prince, realizing that he is a mindless man who wouldn't know how to dress himself every morning if his attendants didn't tell him how. She decides to break the engagement, but when she talks to the prince about it, he doesn't take the news lightly. He ties her up, and calls in his royal advisors to "tell him what to do." When they come in, they leave Ella bound and basically tell her that she can't break the engagement. When she insists that she will never marry the prince, they throw her in the dungeon, where she is treated like a prisoner until (according to their threats) she either agrees to marry the prince or her wedding day arrives and she is forced to marry him.
Ella's connection with the servantgirl, Mary pays off when Mary finds her and brings her food stolen from the kitchen, as well as a shovel. Ella decides to dig her way out of the palace through the "crap hole" in her cell. Mary informs Ella that Jed has been sent to work with the Sualan refugees, which as Ella knows has been Jed's dream for longer than she has known him.
When Ella is able to escape, she travels to the Sualan border to meet Jed and ask him if she can work for him. When she finally arrives, he proposes, confessing his love for her.
Ella was taken by surprise, and asked that they wait a while so she could think about it. Jed is called back to the palace when he receives the news of his father's death, and Ella remains at the campsite doing the work Jed once did. Jed writes to Ella telling about how the prince married her stepsister so as not to cause a scene, and also to tell her that with the connections that he now has he thinks he could end the war against Suala. The book ends with Ella making up her mind that she loves and wants to marry Jed.
Commentary:
This is a wonderfully written book that opens up the reader's mind to possibilities that the original farytale stories don't allow you to believe. A completely fictional book, Just Ella sparks the reader's imagination and encourages creativity in imagining alternate endings to the normal "happily ever afters" that we are so accustomed to. For girls, this book shows the importance of friendship over romance, and unlike other farytales, shows that there isn't always "happily ever after" with "Prince Charming."
Slender Ella and her Fairy Hogfather, by Vivian Sathre, Chapter Book
The Princess School Let Down Your Hair, by Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens, Novel
The Frog Princess, by E.D. Baker, Novel
Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky, Picture Book, Caldecott Medal
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Illustrator:
Number of Pages:
Publisher:
Copyright Date:
Grade Level: Intermediate Grades (4th-6th)
Honors/Awards:
Type of Book: Novel
Synopsis:
The story of Cinderella... the real story of Cinderella... after the not-so-happily ever after. We learn about how Ella (called "Cinders-Ella" by her stepsisters) really made it to the ball, won the prince, made it to the castle, became a princess, and after a stunning turn of events, was able to find her real happily-ever-after.
Ella was just a normal young girl whose father got remarried to a stuck-up woman who had two stuck-up daughters. Ella was slowly turned into a servant in her own home as Lucille (her stepmother) came to convince her father that Corrimund and Grizelda couldn't do the hard labor that Ella was so fortunate to be capable of. When her father passed away while crossing the Sualan border to buy books, Ella began to be treated even worse. So when the invitation came inviting all eligible young ladies to a ball in honor of Prince Charming, Ella saw it as an opportunity to gain some independence from Lucielle and the "Step-Evils," as she called them. She would try to find work as a tutor.
Out shopping one day, she found a glass blower who, wanting to show off, agreed to make glass slippers for her. She found her mother's wedding gown in the attic and, after helping the Step-Evils off to the ball, scrubbed herself down and was off!
When she entered the ballroom, she was taken into one ballroom while the girls she entered with were escorted into another ballroom. She spent the night dancing with the prince, and lost track of the time. When the clock struck twelve, she ran out of the ballroom, remembering that she had to clean the attic before the others got back home.
The next day, the prince found her and whisked her off to the palace, where for months she took lessons (which she hated) to learn how to act like a princess (which she was very bad at). When one of her teachers has a stroke, his son, Jed, is sent to teach the class in his place. Immediately, Ella and Jed become great friends. Ella also befriends a servantgirl, Mary. And in the midst of her making friends in the castle and her boring lessons about how to be a princess, she is able to see Prince Charming ("Charm," as she refers to him in her imagination) only once in a while with a chaperone.
Ella soon falls out of love with the prince, realizing that he is a mindless man who wouldn't know how to dress himself every morning if his attendants didn't tell him how. She decides to break the engagement, but when she talks to the prince about it, he doesn't take the news lightly. He ties her up, and calls in his royal advisors to "tell him what to do." When they come in, they leave Ella bound and basically tell her that she can't break the engagement. When she insists that she will never marry the prince, they throw her in the dungeon, where she is treated like a prisoner until (according to their threats) she either agrees to marry the prince or her wedding day arrives and she is forced to marry him.
Ella's connection with the servantgirl, Mary pays off when Mary finds her and brings her food stolen from the kitchen, as well as a shovel. Ella decides to dig her way out of the palace through the "crap hole" in her cell. Mary informs Ella that Jed has been sent to work with the Sualan refugees, which as Ella knows has been Jed's dream for longer than she has known him.
When Ella is able to escape, she travels to the Sualan border to meet Jed and ask him if she can work for him. When she finally arrives, he proposes, confessing his love for her.
Ella was taken by surprise, and asked that they wait a while so she could think about it. Jed is called back to the palace when he receives the news of his father's death, and Ella remains at the campsite doing the work Jed once did. Jed writes to Ella telling about how the prince married her stepsister so as not to cause a scene, and also to tell her that with the connections that he now has he thinks he could end the war against Suala. The book ends with Ella making up her mind that she loves and wants to marry Jed.
Commentary:
This is a wonderfully written book that opens up the reader's mind to possibilities that the original farytale stories don't allow you to believe. A completely fictional book, Just Ella sparks the reader's imagination and encourages creativity in imagining alternate endings to the normal "happily ever afters" that we are so accustomed to. For girls, this book shows the importance of friendship over romance, and unlike other farytales, shows that there isn't always "happily ever after" with "Prince Charming."
Teaching Ideas:
- Before reading the story, have students come up with their own not "happily-ever-after" ending to the Cinderella story
Related Books:Slender Ella and her Fairy Hogfather, by Vivian Sathre, Chapter Book
The Princess School Let Down Your Hair, by Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens, Novel
The Frog Princess, by E.D. Baker, Novel
Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky, Picture Book, Caldecott Medal
1 comment:
I need help with the setting, the theme, the climax and resolution for Just Ella. Help please.
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