The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes (With Music Videos)

Illustrations Copyright 1983 by Charles Mikolaycak
Picturebook / Poetry

Alfred Noyes was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1880. Although he is most famous for his narrative poem The Highwayman, he also wrote essays, biographies, and  novels. His most famous poem was first published in 1906, and in 1907, it became an instant success when it was published in Noyes' collection Forty Singing Seaman and Other Poems (BBC Wales, June 2012). It didn't take long, however, for his book to become famous around the world.

I've been teaching this poem for years because of its lyrical quality and the fact that it is filled with similes, metaphors, and other figurative language. However, I didn't realize the poem had been published in book form until I was browsing through my school library recently and stumbled upon it. I guess I didn't know about this book because I teach high school and don't normally venture into the picturebook section. As soon as I saw the book, I knew I had to read it and learn more about it.

The basic plot of the unnamed highwayman (or robber) who is in love with Bess, the landlord's daughter, is probably familiar to anyone who loves reading poetry. The poem begins with the following stanza, which is repeated at the end of the poem, and sets the tone for this tragic tale:

"The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees. / The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas. / The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, / And the highwayman came riding-- / Riding--riding-- / The highwayman came riding, up to the old-inn door." 

The highwayman, described as wearing a "French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin, / A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin," visits Bess at the old-inn to declare his love for her once again. However, Tim, the jealous ostler who is also in love with Bess, overhears their conversation and reports him to King George's men. Perhaps with the highwayman out of the way, Tim would have a chance with the woman he loves. However, his misguided notion, ends in tragedy for them all.

King George's men come to inn saying no word to the landlord. They drink his ale without paying for it and gag his daughter and bind her to the foot of her bed with a gun placed beneath her breast. They plan to use her as bait to catch the highwayman, but as he approaches, Bess pulls the trigger and shatters her own breast, sacrificing her life for the man she loves. The highwayman hears the shot and flees to safety.

However, the next morning when he hears what has happened, he loses control and heads back to the inn to seek revenge. Tragically, he is shot down on the highway and dies in a pool of his own blood. In the final stanza, the reader gets the "ghostly" impression that this scene is played over and over until the end of time. The highwayman comes to the inn to declare his love for Bess, Tim betrays them, Bess takes her own life, and the highwayman is shot down on the highway.

I will definitely use this book with my students in the future when we are reading and analyzing this poem. Mikolaycak's black and white illustrations add a sense of drama to the text. Each illustration has just a touch of red to emphasize certain elements in the poem. For example, the highwayman's red mask, Bess' dark-red love knot she is plaiting in her hair, the ropes that tie her hands and feet, King George's men's red coats, and the tragic scenes where Bess shoots herself and the highwayman is shot down on the highway are painted red to contrast the cold black and white images. The use of black and white illustrations with just a touch of red are very effective in the presentation of the poem. It's interesting to note that the illustration with Tim, the ostler, spying on the highwayman and Bess declaring their love for one another is painted only in black and white. The way Mikolaycak illustrates this scene could be symbolic of the lovers' betrayal.

If you haven't read The Highwayman I highly recommend it. Also take a look at the YouTube music videos below.

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Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales Told by Virginia Hamilton (Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon)



Published in 1995
Folktales / Fairytales

Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales told by Virginia Hamilton is a book of 19 tales that won the Laura Ingall's Wilder Award and a Coretta Scott King Award in 1995. The book is told from a nostalgic perspective and is filled with stories of strong-willed, determined, legendary women.

In the opending pages, Hamilton dedicates her book to "our mothers and grandmothers, aunts and great-aunts. To all the women who stood before us, telling us about where they came from, what they saw, did, and imagined. They let us know they stood for us. Talking, they combed our hair, rocked us to sleep, sang to us, told us tales of then and now--and tomorrow. They worried about us. They hoped for us and showed us the way. They cared."

In her author's note at the end of the book, Hamilton explains how much the women in her life meant to her as she was growing up. She recalls a time when her mother calmed her fears during a dangerous storm and the way her mother's talking often made her forget her fears. She says, "All of Mother's stories taught things, little things about life and nature. [Her stories] were family stories--how her brother, my uncle, had been swinging with me on the porch swing moments before he got in his car and was killed on the highway. She told about the day I was  born; how she lived in Canada and had met my father there. My sister, Nina, was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. My mother and father together told stories about their lives. But it is the women of my family I was most attuned to."

All the tales in Her Stories are about women. The book is divided into three major categories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales. Most of the stories are written in prose fiction, but three true tales are included at the end of the book. Four are animal tales, like "Lena and One Big Tiger." Four are fairy tales, like "Catskinella," which was one of my favorites. Four are supernatural tales, like "Malindy and the Little Devil." Four are Folkways (which I had never heard of before) and Legends, like "The Mer-Woman Out of the Sea." At the end of each tale, Hamilton provides a "Comment Section" which provides the history of the tale, how it came about, and how it was collected. Other noteworthy facts are included. The comments at the end of each tale really add meaning and substance to the book.

Here is just a taste of the authentic language often used in the book. This example comes from one of the true tales and is told from a slave's perspective, "Millie Evans: Plantation Times":

"MY BIRTHDAY always comes in the fodder-pulling time. My mama told me she was pulling fodder until the hour before I was born. Me, born in 1849. At the time of Surrender, I was a young lady.

Don't remember the owners' names. But I remember there was about a hundred of us kind. The owners were rich. Mistress tended to us, the women. The Master took over the men.

At four-o'clock each morning, he would ring the bell for us to get up. Oh, you could hear that bell all over the plantation. I can hear it now--ting, ting-aling-aling. I can see all us stirring, getting up in Carolina.

Mistress raised me. But I stayed with my mama every night. My mama had to work very hard. And if Mistress thought the little black children like me were hungry between the meals, she would call us up to the house to eat.  We had johnnycake sometimes and plenty of buttermilk to go with it" (Hamilton, 93).

Later in the story, Millie remembers being freed, but recounts the fear many of the slaves felt. They didn't know what to do or where to go. The Master and Mistress didn't want them to leave, so they all decided to move west to Arkansas. However, the Master died along the way, and his body was taken back to North Carolina. The Mistress begged the slaves to stay with her, and they did stay until she died and was taken back to North Carolina. After her death, the slaves went on with their lives and lost track of the rest of the family. The comment at the end of the tale provides the source of the tale and additional background information.

Although the stories themselves are memorable, the framed paintings by award winning illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon are absolutely beautiful. The Dillons have been awarded the Caldecott Medal twice, the Boston Globe Horn Book Award four times, the New York Times Best Illustrated Award three times, the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal, and were nominees for the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. They are considered two of America's most creative and prized illustrators (back book jacket cover). The illustrations in Hamilton's book were painted with acrylics on illustration board and were printed on eighty-pound Mymolla Matte paper, which gives the book a strong, sturdy feel to it.

If you enjoy reading folktales, fairy tales, or true stories, you will enjoy this book. Although the book is recommended for ages 4 & up, I believe it would be best suited for older children and adults.

Virginia Hamilton's Official Website

I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery by Cynthia Grady (Illustrated by Michele Wood)

Published in 2012
Poetry Collection

Cynthia Grady, who enjoys writing and quilting during the summer, is a middle school librarian at Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C. I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery is her first published book. In the author's note at the beginning of her book, she explains that quilt making and poetry are similar in two ways: "In one, color and shape are organized into an overall pattern; in the other, sound and structure create the pattern." She goes on to explain that "each poem in her book is named for a traditional quilt block and reflects a metaphorical patchwork of circumstances encountered by enslaved people in America. The poems are written in unrhymed verse, ten lines of ten syllables, to mimic the square and shape of a quilt block." She includes three references in each poem: "a biblical or spiritual reference, a musical reference, and a sewing or fiber arts reference in addition to the imagery the poem calls for." Her goal in writing and designing her book this way was to mirror the structure of a quilt as well as the symbolism that quilts often express.

Grady uses a consistent structure throughout the book that makes it easy for her readers to follow. The poems are located on the left page, while the illustrations, which also look like quilt patches, are located on the right. Underneath each poem, she has a row of quilt patches that represent or symbolize some aspect of the poem. For example, the first poem is titled "Log Cabin," so she has a row of log cabin quilt patches that divide the page nearly in half. Under each row of quilt patches, she adds a note that provides additional historical information regarding the poem and the situation in which the slaves found themselves.  The poems are typeset on a white background, and the historical notes are typeset on a creme colored background. The illustration and quilt patch color combinations are coordinated throughout the book. The author suggests that her book be read by children ages 10 & up.

The titles of the poems are simple and cover a wide range of topics: log cabins, cotton balls, the Underground Railroad, broken dishes, the North Star, the Tree of Life, a basket, a rail fence, an anvil, and my favorite, a schoolhouse. Although I enjoyed reading the poems and looking at the beautiful illustrations, I enjoyed reading the historical notes the best because I learned a lot. I learned that slaves, like navigators, used the North Star to guide their way to freedom, that although in many states slaves were forbidden to read and write, there were some white people who inherited slaves and then educated them privately so that when they were freed, they could go into the world with knowledge and skills, that archaeologists have discovered artifacts resembling West African religious practices while excavating where enslaved Africans and African Americans lived, and that basket-making is one of the oldest forms of West African art still practiced in the United States today.

Cynthia Grady's collection of poems of American Slavery is not only beautifully written and illustrated but it provides valuable historical information and expresses a wide range of emotions experienced by slaves: pain, sorrow, joy, hope, weariness, and strength. I highly recommend this book for all ages.
 
Cynthia Grady's Website (Author)
Michele Wood's Website (Painter, Illustrator, Designer, and Writer)
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The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (Odyssey Award Winner 2013)

Published in 2012
Realistic Fiction

John Green's book The Fault In Our Stars was not my first choice of an Odyssey Award winning book that I am required to read for my literature class at the College of William & Mary, but when a teacher at the school where I teach said her daughter had a copy and that I could borrow it, I decided to give it a try.

I heard that a film based on the book will be released soon, so I thought I'd like to read the book before seeing it in the theater. I knew the book was about teenagers who meet in a support group for cancer patients and was at first hesitant to read it because of the personal loss of my husband after a six-year battle with cancer, but I thought it might help to get another person's viewpoint of their battle with the disease. Well, the book did, in fact, bring back memories, but not like I expected.

You see, my three boys, Justin, Christopher, and Jonathon were only 5, 8, and 11 years old when their dad was diagnosed with colon cancer; they were 11, 14, and 17 when he passed away. For six long years, our family lived with this disease and fought it in every way possible. Most of their childhood was spent with their father in and out of hospitals, with multiple surgeries, chemo, and radiation treatments. It was painful to see my husband deteriorate during the final months of his life when the cancer finally reached his brain.

During his first surgery, my husband had 13 tumors removed from his colon and rectum which left him with a permanent colostomy bag. His second surgery left him with one lung, and his final surgery left him without his bladder, his prostate gland, and part of his tailbone. He ended up with a urostomy bag in addition to his colostomy bag and was in constant pain for the remainder of his life because the nerves in his legs had been damaged during his final surgery. I didn't realize a person could live with so many organs removed from his body. It was devastating for my husband; it was devastating for our family, but I can honestly say that my husband never once complained about the pain he was going through. Not once. I couldn't have been that strong. I couldn't have been that noble. My children never complained either. We did what we had to do . . . together. We had to go on living. We had to survive. We had to have hope for the future.

When the cancer finally reached my husband's brain in December of 1999, I knew it wouldn't be long before his battle would be over. The tumor was located in the center of his brain and was inoperable. He began to deteriorate quickly, and he was no longer the man I had married or the father my children had grown to love. His behavior and appearance changed so drastically, that my children, it's sad to say, seemed afraid of him. But this IS the hard reality of OUR family's battle with this disease. It was devastating. Three months later, my husband was gone.

As you can see, this book did bring back memories, but not like I had expected. Rather than being inspired or encouraged by what I read, I found the book to be depressing, very depressing. I would not recommend this book to a child or teen fighting cancer unless you want them to become sarcastic, bitter, depressed individuals who are mad at the world. I would not recommend this book to anyone who doesn't have a deep and abiding faith in God and friends they can depend on who will see them through to the end. It just won't do them any good, and it could make their situation even worse.

The Fault In Our Stars is about Hazel Grace, a sixteen-year-old girl who is diagnosed with Stage 4 Thyroid cancer, which has metastasized and spread to her lungs. She has always been terminal and sinks into a deep depression. After a visit to her doctor, she is forced by her parents to go to the basement of an Episcopal Church to meet in a cancer support group, and it's obvious she doesn't want to go.

Hazel's friend Isaac is also a cancer patient and attends the group. He has lost one eye and is about to undergo another operation to remove his second one, leaving him blind. The first time Hazel attends a meeting in the basement, which they sarcastically and repeatedly refer to as "The Sacred" or "Literal Heart of Jesus," Isaac brings a friend, Augustus Waters, who has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Augustus, also known as "Gus," has had one leg amputated, but is in remission.

Augustus and Hazel end up falling in love, and Augustus gives up his dying wish from the "Genie" foundation (or so it seems) so they can take a trip to Amsterdam to meet Hazel's hero Peter Van Houten, the author of a book called An Imperial Affliction, which Hazel refers to as "the book that was as close a thing as I had to a Bible" (13). Ironically, her "hero" Van Houten turns out to be a bitter, old man who has become an alcoholic because he has lost his own six-year-old daughter to cancer. After the death of his daughter, Van Houten's family falls apart, so he turns to the bottle for comfort.

I found the sarcastic attitudes of Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac annoying and tiresome. I felt the same disdain toward Hazel's "hero" who was even worse. I felt sorry for Hazel's parents who were trying to do the best they could for their daughter.

I can sum it up by saying I had a love-hate relationship with this book. I couldn't put it down, but I wanted to shake them and say it IS possible to deal with a difficult situation with humility, dignity, and grace. The scene at the end of the book where Augustus dies brought tears to my eyes; it was almost too much to take.

All I can say is that I hope the movie is not as depressing as the book. I'm not even sure I want to see this film when it comes out. I hope the director chooses to portray the teenagers in a more favorable light and focuses on their more redeeming qualities.

Perhaps there is some truth and significance to the book's title alluding to a line in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar. Angry, jealous, and resentful that Caesar is so powerful and so admired by the people, Cassius says to Brutus: 

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings." (Act 1 Scene 2)

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King Midas: A Golden Tale Retold by John Warren Stewig (Paintings by Omar Rayyan)

Published in 1999
Folktales / Fairytales

John Warren Stewig's modern-day retelling of King Midas: A Golden Tale would be a great book to read to children of all ages. Most adults and adolescents are familiar with the story of King Midas, the Phrygian king, whose greed almost destroys his life because everything he touches turns to gold. I remember reading this myth as a child, and I would read it over and over again. I also remember reading it to my children when they were young; my three sons loved it!

Stewig's version begins, "Once upon a time there lived a king of Phyrgia. His name was Midas. He was fonder of gold than of anything in the world, except for his daughter Marygold." It is important to note that Phrygia, the

Map of Phrygia, Modern-Day Turkey

setting of this story, was located in what is now known as modern-day Turkey. This is important because the Phrygians are best known for their Greek mythology, and there was an actual King Midas who reigned around 725 B.C. The fact that this king was so wealthy probably attributed to the rising of the myth of the king's "golden touch." Unfortunately, the real King Midas committed suicide because of a nomadic invasion. His story didn't have such a happy ending. Archaeological evidence continues to separate fact from fiction regarding the myth of King Midas and his actual reign.

Stewig's retelling of this story follows the same plot of a king whose greed utlimately leads to regret. The queen has died, and he is left to raise his daughter Marygold alone, whom he loves very much. The king has more gold than he knows what to do with, but he is still not satisfied. One day a "stranger" appears who grants the king his wish. At first the king is thrilled that his wish has come true, but then he becomes despondent and more depressed as time goes by when he realizes his wish will cost him everything he loves and will eventually cost him his life.

Sadly, King Midas' daughter turns to gold when he kisses her forehead, and he regrets that he ever 
made the wish in the first place. The "stranger" appears throughout the story asking questions like, "Well, Midas . . . how do you enjoy the Golden Touch?" Midas responds, "I am miserable." The stranger tells the king that he is "wiser now than yesterday" and directs him to "plunge into the River Pactolus which glides past [his] garden." He is told to take a large vase, fill it with water, and sprinkle the water over any object he wishes to "change into its former condition." The king bows low to the stranger, but by the time he lifts his head, the stranger is gone.
Of course, there is a "happily ever after" to the story, and everything is turned back into its former condition, including his beloved daughter Marygold. In a humorous scene, the king takes the vase and pours water over Marygold's head. As she is transformed into her former self, she has no idea what has happened to her and wonders why she is dripping wet.

The moral of the story is, be careful what you wish for; it might come true. Greed can destroy a person's life. King Midas will never forget what has happened, and "[f]or as long as King Midas lived, two things reminded him of the Golden Touch: the sand of the River Pactolus sparked like gold and Marygold's hair retained a golden tinge he had never noticed before. When Midas grew old, he delighted in telling Marygold's children this story. Stroking their hair, which was also a rich shade of gold, he would declare, 'Ever since that morning, I cannot stand the sight of gold, except in your hair.'"

The illustrations are really what make the retelling of this classic tale interesting; however, I enjoyed the text as well. The paintings by Omar Rayyan are absolutely incredible. Filled with images of Greek mythology, the illustrations are representative of a classic mythical tale. Every time you turn a page, you will see something new in the paintings that you haven't seen before.

There are also humorous images in the illustrations that would be familiar to modern-day readers, especially older readers, and these images might be recognized by some children. On the very first page, the king is sitting on his throne, and by his foot is a bowl for his pet leopard with the name "Spot" inscribed on it. Next to the bowl, is a bag that reads "Leopard Chow," a play on today's Purina Cat or Dog Chow. There is a bright, yellow rubber duck floating in one of the water fountains, and in another illustration, there is a box of "Plato Poseidon Puffs" on the table. However, the king can't eat the cereal because everything he touches turns to gold. In this illustration, he is holding a cup that has already turned to gold in his hand, and the look on his face is one of absolute horror.

I highly recommend that you take a look at this book to see if it would be appropriate for the students in your classroom or for your own children.
     

Nathaniel Hawthorne's Version
of King Midas & his daughter

               Learn More About John Warren Stewig
               Greek Myths for Children Website
               Archaeological Institute of America
               King Midas Commits Suicide
               Other Images for King Midas by Stewig
               Image Source for King Midas
               Source for Nathaniel Hawthorne's Image

Only Passing Through by Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell (Illustrated by R. Gregorie Christie)

Published in 2000
Picturebook / Historical Fiction

Anne Rockwell's historical, nonfiction book Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth tells the story of Isabella, a slave girl who was only nine when she was sold for the first time, and how she grew to become one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement during the 1800s. Although Rockwell used many sources for her book, she relied on Sojourner Truth's own autobiography as her main source. Her book won a Coretta Scott King Award and was selected as a Best Illustrated Children's Book from the New York Times Book Review after it was published. The book has no page numbers.

This book is truly inspirational; it is about a woman whose faith and determination helped change the course of a nation. Rising from humble beginnings, Sojourner, a name she chose for herself, dedicated her life to traveling around the country telling her story and describing the horrors of slavery. Some hearts were changed; others were not. Despite angry threats to burn the places where she intended to speak, she vowed she would be heard "speaking from the ashes." Wherever she spoke, she posted a sign that read, "Proclaim Liberty" (Rockwell).

The illustrations in Rockwell's book are brightly colored, framed-pictures that fill an entire page and alternate from left to right throughout the story. The text is on one side of the page, while the illustrations are on the other. There is a picture with each turn of the page, which adds to the story as it unfolds.  I was surprised at how much the book focused on Sojourner Truth's faith; it was the driving force of her life.  Like Martin Luther King, Jr., Sojourner Truth's faith and deeply held convictions were what gave her the strength to take the stands she took against the evils of her day. Sojourner wandered for many years and spoke to as many people as she could telling her story. She was, indeed, what she claimed to be, "a sojourner only passing through."

The author's note at the end of the book sums up the significance of Sojourner's life and the importance of her story being shared with others:

"When evil rules a time and place, certain good people are called upon to tell the truth to those who don't want to hear it."

"I've always loved stories of people who understood in one miraculous moment exactly what they had to do to confront the evil around them--Moses, Saint Paul, Joan of Arc, Saint Francis of Asissi, Sojourner Truth. Such stories fill me and many others with wonder. They live on and spark our imaginations, as they should. . . . I've told her story only up to when her transformation took place, for that part of the story moves me most. But there is more to tell of Sojourner Truth's life. On her long journey, she crossed paths with many of the great people of her time--Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Lucretia Mott. I hope readers will go on to find out more about her and the times she lived in" (Rockwell).

After the Civil War, Sojourner Truth continued to travel around the country speaking on behalf of freed slaves and women's rights. She was "one of the first African Americans to demand, and win, the right to board public transportation along with white people" in Washington, D.C. (Rockwell).

Rockwell describes Sojourner Truth's final words at the end of her book, "In 1883, when she was dying, Sojourner told friends and family who had come to say good-bye not to cry. She told them she was going home, 'like a shooting star.' She'd always looked to the night sky, finding comfort and guidance there, as her mother had taught her. Her time on earth had been long. Now it was time to stop wandering. It was time to go home" (Author's Note).

One final fact that Rockwell shares in her book worth noting is that more than 100 years after Sojourner Truth's death, the United States launched a small vehicle to explore the surface of Mars. After a competition was held among schoolchildren to name the Mars rover, a girl from Bridgeport, Connecticut, won. The rover was named after "another American wanderer": Sojourner.

I believe everyone should read about this true American hero.

This Far By Faith
Learn More About Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth's Biography
Books About Sojourner Truth
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Glass Slipper Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman (Illustrated by Julie Paschkis)

Published in 2007
Traditional Literature 

Paul Fleischman's Glass Slipper Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella is definitely a book for readers who are familiar with the classic fairy tale. His book combines text from 17 different versions of the story from around the world. When you open the book, the first thing you see on the front and back endpapers is a picture of a world map. The 17 countries or areas that are featured in the book are identified on the maps. The symbols placed in the oceans, other bodies of water, and around the borders are an indication that this tale is told from a world-wide perspective. The author's note at the beginning of the story provides a  brief history of Cinderella explains Fleischman's vision for his book:

"A chameleon changes its color to match its surroundings. Stories do the same. The earliest recorded Cinderella tale is thought to date from ninth-century China. Traveling across the globe, it changed its clothes but not its essence. Rivalry, injustice, and the dream of wrongs righted are universal, no matter our garments. When the story reached France, it acquired the glass slippers and coachmen-mice familiar to Western readers. More than a thousand other versions are known. I pictured a book that would let us listen in on the tale-tellers we don't often hear, who've breathed this story to life around fires of peat and pinion pine, swinging in hammocks and snuggling under deerskins."

The illustrations in this book are what make it truly unique. The story begins with a picture of a mother and a child sitting on a couch reading Fleishman's book Glass Slipper Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. Next to the mother and child, a globe is sitting on a small table, which is clearly an indication that Fleischman's version of the tale will have worldwide appeal. The framed picture is brightly colored and is set on a solid, white page. Then the story begins, "ONCE UPON A TIME there lived a wealthy merchant whose wife had died. They had one daughter, gentle-eyed and good-hearted."

As the story unfolds, it makes a transition to brightly colored pages with symbols that represent the countries from which the text is taken: Mexico, Korea, Iraq, Russia, and so on. The colors change every time a new country is introduced, and the name of the country is listed on the page or panel. With the turn of each page, the reader comes to understand how the story changed over time as it traveled across the globe.

I couldn't help laughing when I got to the part of the story from Laos when the stepmother is trying to keep Cinderella from the prince as he tries to find the beautiful woman he met and fell in love with at the ball: ". . . until he came to the stepmother's house. When she saw him approach, she grabbed her stepdaughter, wrapped her in a mat, and hid her." In the illustration, Cinderella's stepmother is seen wrapping her in the mat; all the reader sees is Cinderella's hair and feet protruding from the sides. Her stepmother has a smirk on her face as if she is thinking, "I got her now! I will keep her from the prince!" But of course, we all know how the story ends. This is a classic example of dramatic irony.

Another humorous variant on this classic tale comes from Indonesia and Ireland. The clock strikes midnight; I mean the "first rooster crow[s]" (from Indonesia), and she remembers her promise. Then in the illustration from Ireland, Cinderella is seen riding on a horse as she flees from the prince who is running behind her. Her foot is bare, and the prince is holding a glass slipper in his hand in fast pursuit. The text reads: "She leaped onto her mare's golden saddle. 'Who are you?' called the prince. The girl had no time for words and charged down the lane. The prince sprinted beside her, got a hand on her shoe-and the dainty thing pulled off in his fingers as she galloped away." The cultural twists and turns in this tale make it truly delightful.

I enjoyed reading this version of Cinderella and highly recommend it; however, it is definitely for readers who are familiar with the tale and have a thorough background knowledge of how the story unfolds. The folk art illustrations from the different countries are absolutely stunning, but the text doesn't flow as smoothly as the more classic versions.

Other versions of Cinderella from around the world:
  

    

More About Paul Fleishman (Author)
More About Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)
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