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Ella Enchanted
- By Gail Carson Levine
- Genre: Fairy Tale
Common Sense Media says
Highly imaginative twists on an old tale.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that highly imaginative twists on an old tale and a fast pace will keep readers turning the page.
What's the story?
When Ella was an hour old, the fairy Lucinda "blessed" her with obedience. Whenever Ella is told to do something, she must do it, including promising never to reveal her terrible secret.
After her mother dies, Ella is sent to finishing school with her nasty stepsisters, Hattie and Olive. Hattie soon discovers the curse and takes advantage of Ella. Running away, Ella finds Lucinda and begs her to lift the curse, but the fairy refuses. Ella must go home and resign herself to a life of drudgery.
Her friend, Prince Charmont, is in love with her, but Ella knows she can never marry him--her curse would put him in grave danger. When he commands her to marry him, she struggles not to obey, cries out "No"-and breaks the curse! At last the liberated Ella and her beloved prince can truly live happily ever after.
Is it any good?
ELLA ENCHANTED is a rich and imaginative retelling of the Cinderella story as a young adult novel. At last readers get a reasonable explanation for Cinderella's meek behavior. Poor Ella isn't a doormat; she is literally cursed with obedience. But she is a strong and intelligent role model -- instead of taking her misfortune sitting down, she marches off to rid herself of the troublesome curse.
Learning her worries and dreams gives readers a reason to root for her. Prince Charmant becomes more than a name as we read the letters he and Ella write to each other. A cast of fantastic and familiar fairy-tale figures includes the foolish fairy who bestows gifts nobody wants, a wise fairy godmother who refuses to use magic for anything important, and a gnome toddler with a baby beard. Gail Carson Levine casts a spell and manages to remake a classic tale into something completely new.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about fairy tales.
How is Ella different from Cinderella?
What kind of lessons did you learn from the story of Cinderella?
What do you learn from this reinvention of the story?
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AGE
What a fantastic book! A must-read for parents and children over the age of 10
What a wonderful book! Written again by the fame-struck Gail Carson Levine. My kids both loved it and they are 8 and 11. I think it was a little too violent for my 8 year old, but she liked it anyway! She's a toughie and was trembling at the violent parts, so I'd say this book is better for 9 or 10 year olds...
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Kid, 12 years old
September 8, 2010
AGE
awsome me!!!!
i love the moive and the book it was the best book i ever read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i rate it
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AGE
Ella Enchanted is by far one of my favorite action adventure stories. Ella, the main character is a smart, vivacious, intelligent young girl who uses good sense and a touch of spunk to get through tough real life scenarios such as the loss of a mother, the jealousy and dysfunction of a step family, and the confusion that comes from having a selfish father. All of these real life things that are difficult to walk through are set in a beautiful scenery of imagination, where Ella battles ogres, falls in love with a prince, and dances in glass slippers. Just writing about it makes me want to read it again. It has been ten years now since I first read this book, and I still hold it in high esteem
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AGE
"A must-read book for every 8-year-old"
I loved this book and i am going to read it over and over again!!!!!!
This book was about a girl named Ella. When she was 1 hour old she was given this so called "gift" by a fairy named Lucinda. When her mother died she was sent to Finishing School with her soon to be step-sisters, Hattie and Olive. On her journey Hattie figures out that Ella always has to be obedient. When they get back home, Ella's dad has to marry Dame Olga to re-earn his wealth. Hattie tells Dame Olga that Ella is obedient and they make her a servant. To know what happens in the rest of the book, you have to read it.
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AGE
Awesome!
This book is very, well, enchanting. Very magical! One of my favorite books of all time and I am eleven.
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Kid, 11 years old
October 23, 2010
AGE
Love at first read
Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AGE
Ella Enchanted is a fantastic book!
This a great book! I recommend this book to anyone. My favorite part of this book was the letters between Ella and Char.
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AGE
Love the book!
I love the book! It was full of page turning excitement. Caught me from the beginning. I personally think the book is better than the movie, although A.H. is a very talented actress.
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| Topics: | princesses and fairies |
| Author: | Gail Carson Levine |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fairy Tale |
| Publisher: | HarperTrophy |
| Publication date: | January 1, 1997 |
| Number of pages: | 232 |
| Paperback price: | $6.50 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 9 - 12 |
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