Ever wonder about the original European version of Cinderella? Here is a faithful translation of the Charles Perrault classic tale, masterfully illustrated by Loek Koopmans and translated by Anthea Bell.

From Publishers Weekly

In this retelling of the classic tale, the sweet and put-upon Cinderella takes care of the house, her stepsisters, and preparations for the prince's ball. Her fairy godmother appears on cue to outfit the young girl in a gorgeous gown and those troublesome glass slippers. The narrative, though clear, is a little choppy at times, for example, jumping without preamble from Cinderella crying to the sudden appearance of the fairy godmother. The real strength of the book, however, is in the lush, diaphanous watercolors, done in gold and peach tones, which convey the story's drama and romance. It is perhaps a quibble that the stepsisters appear to be prettier than Cinderella, as the whole sweep of the tale is gorgeously portrayed.

This is best placed as a gift book for young girls with a strong romantic bent and, as such, it's recommended for bookstore rather than library use.

Ann Welton, Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.