Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella

Rating:
Summary: Read-aloud Favorite!
Review: As a substitute school librarian, I've taken this one with me wherever I go. It's an instant lesson in point-of-view, compare-and-contrast, and social variation. ("What is important about the traditional Cinderella?" [tiny feet, grace & elegance] "What is important in the bigfoot society?" [big feet, natural state, strength, generosity]) Reading it aloud, I get to use bigfoot voices. And the puns, similes, and other wordplay are inspired! Children enjoy the playful attitude and understand the deeper meanings.

Rating:
Summary: Great alternative Cinderella tale
Review: As a teacher, I found this book a great read. It can be used to teach about forests and the environment as well as fairy tales. The unusual speech patterns of the characters provide a special flavor to this timeless tale.

Rating:
Summary: A surprisingly entertaining ecological fairy tale
Review: I checked this book out of the library for my 4-year-old, who is in love with fairy tale princesses. The story entranced us on two different levels.

My daughter loved the new twist on the Cinderella story. She fell back on her bed and laughed hysterically at the craziness of a prince looking for a girl with big feet, matted fur, and a stench. "Where my stinking beauty go?" the prince bellows after Cinderrrrrella disappears. My daughter loved hearing the growly, "me Tarzan, you Jane" dialogue and was charmed and delighted that one of her favorite stories should be told in such a fresh, imaginative way.

I also was very entertained by the story, and I doubly appreciated it because of the environmental lesson contained within. The story mentions aspects of the Pacific northwest that I rarely see in books--Douglas fir, banana slugs, old-growth stands, Bigfoot, etc.--and allowed me to rekindle memories of walks through the magnificent forests of Northern California. (A glossary of 9 words/phrases appears in the front of the book for those who are not familiar with the enviromental terms used.) I highly recommend this book as a humorous, enchanting, and educational tale.