Today I am going to share with you to fun picture books that came out in September. The first is a new take on Cinderella!! Cinderella's Stepsister and the Big Bad Wolf by Lorraine Carey and illustrated by Migy Blanco is a fun version of the classic tale.
In this version there is a third Ugly stepsister named Gertie. She is the one who always smiles and does all the work. She puts the Ugly family to shame so they don't let her go anywhere with them. When the invitation to the ball arrives she wants to go with her sisters and mother. She promises she can be mean like them, but Mrs. Ugly knows she will need some help. She sends her to the Wicked Witch to learn how to be mean, but Gertie warns Snow White about the poisoned apple. She gets sent a few more places but always warns the victims before the villain can kill them. However Gertie and the Big Bad Wolf decide to go to the ball when the fairy godmother comes for Gertie. Cinderella gets upset and has bad manners so she does not get to go. It brings in many fairy tales and has some interesting twists. Plus fairy tales that are not in the story show up at the ball. Hazel and I loved recognizing the various characters. This is a fun version and we love it!
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Our second book is The Wonder by Faye Hanson. This story is about a boy whose head is filled with wonder.
The adults in his life make comments about his daydreaming and that he needs to focus more. Well all the adults until he gets to art class. There he is presented with a blank sheet of paper. At first he does not know what to do, but then the wonder and dreams come out. The art teacher immediately sees what a great imagination the boy has and then so do his parents. It is such a wonderful story that reminds the adults that there is often more going on in a child's mind than we realize and sometimes we are blessed with a sliver of sight into it.
This book started a conversation with me and Hazel about things we wonder about. In the book the boy wonders where the birds are flying to and of course Hazel claims to wonder that too. It always amazes me the little things that kids notice that adults often walk right by. It is these little things that makes them wonder and if everyone slowed down a bit we might all be full of it.
Faye Hanson was a daydreamer herself, and her artwork in the book is beautiful. This is such a fun book that reminds kids it is all right to wonder and dream and reminds adults that we need to let them and perhaps do it ourselves.
