Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella

• Author:  Susan Lowell
• Illustrator:  Jane Manning
• Date of Publication:  2000
• ISBN #:  0-06-027446-8
• What level is the book (what grade level):  Second Grade, Read Aloud
• What it is about:  Cindy Ellen is Cinderella from the wild West.  Her father married an evil stepmother and she had two mean stepsisters.  Cindy Ellen wished she could go to the rodeo and dance with her sisters, but her stepmother told her to stay home and clean!  Cindy Ellen’s fairy godmother showed up with a “BING!  BING!” from her golden pistol and granted her her wish.  She was the most beautiful cowgirl at the rodeo with her diamond spurs, and she won every event, not to mention the heart of Joe Prince.  The fun did not stop there though, the next night, the fairy godmother showed up again and Cindy Ellen got to go to the dance!  Joe Prince was falling in love, but Cindy Ellen had to be home by midnight.  After losing her diamond spur, Joe Prince searched the town for the girl he had fallen for.  Joe found Cindy Ellen and they lived happily ever after.
• What you might be able to do with it in a class:  Read this version of Cinderella, the “original” version, and other versions and create Venn diagrams to compare the similarities and differences between the stories.  I think students will enjoy seeing Cinderella told from different aspects and different parts of the world.  You can also discuss the culture in the different areas the Cinderellas you read about are from.