Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella

BIBLIOGRAPHY
San Souci, Robert D. 1998. CENDRILLON: A CARIBBEAN CINDERELLA. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-689-80668-X.

PLOT SUMMARY
Cendrillon's mother dies soon after giving birth. The girl's father remarries, and his new wife presents him with another daughter. The stepmother is cruel to Cendrillon and promotes her own daughter's interests when a wealthy suitor comes to town. Cendrillon's godmother intervenes and with the help of a magic wand, ensures that her goddaughter attends the ball in order to meet the young man. The magic ends and Cendrillon runs away leaving her pink slipper behind. When the young man comes to claim the wearer of the slipper as his bride, the half-sister and the stepmother try to trick him. Cendrillon's godmother urges her to step forward and reveal herself as the owner of the slipper. When the slipper fits perfectly, the young man, Paul, knows that he has found his true love, and they are soon wed.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This French Creole variant of the traditional tale, Cinderella, is set in the West Indies. The typical Cinderella story characters including the mean stepmother, spoiled half-sister, magical godmother, and handsome young man are all present. The theme of goodness overcoming evil is played out against the backdrop of the Caribbean Sea. San Souci gives a twist to the usual Cinderella tale by using the godmother as a narrator. The author uses French Creole words and phrases to reinforce the setting of Cendrillon. A glossary is added at the end of the book that provides pronunciations and translations. The Caribbean setting of the story is rendered beautifully in the rich, vibrant, colorful illustrations by Brian Pinkney. The artist includes palm trees, tropical flowers, and seascapes in his signature style of multimedia art to support the story setting. Pinkney also places his subjects in typical West Indies-style clothing including head dresses and jewelry. This lovely, lush retelling of the traditional story of the triumph of love, faith, honesty, and hard work will delight readers and listeners alike.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
Horn Book Magazine: "An exemplary author's note reveals that this adaptation is based on a French Creole version of Perrault's familiar tale..."Publishers Weekly: "The lyrical cadences of the text spattered with French and Creole words combine with the sensuous paintings to bring the tropics to life."

CONNECTIONS

>Read another collaboration by San Souci and Pinkney such as The Faithful Friend or Sukey and the Mermaid to examine how the illustrations work to support the story.

>Study maps and books about the Caribbean Sea. Make lists of foods, animals, and plants that are native to the region.