Cinderella Read-Alikes for Boys and Girls of All Ages

Cinderella Read-Alikes for Boys and Girls of All Ages

A few of our favorite picture books, chapter books, middle grade titles, young adult reads, and some specifically Christian resources that all relate to Cinderella. Not all are strict Cinderella retellings, but all have thematic connections to this famous fairy tale. Some titles may surprise you!   [Boy-friendly titles are at the end of each list]

Picture Books that Tell the Cinderella Story:

• Cinderella by Marcia Brown (originally published 1954; Caldecott-award winning standard with rich, read aloud-friendly text; note characters’ expressions!)
• Cinderella by K. Y. Craft (published 2000; gorgeous, Renaissance-feeling illustrations; emphasizes Cinderella’s kindness)
• Cinderella by Barbara Karlin and James Marshall (published 2001; cheerful and very boy friendly version)

Picture Books That Tell International Cinderella Stories:

• Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe (Zimbabwe; good emphasis on character/inner beauty)
• Adelita by Tomie DePaola (Mexico; great cultural distinctives plus Cinderella’s kindness)
• Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie (China; interesting cultural connection with the shoe)
• Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Julie Paschkis (weaves multiple cultures together to tell one story)
• The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo (Ireland; a boy suffers through the Cinderella story!)

Chapter Books and Story Compilations

• Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories by Jane Yolen (6 ballets, including Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Cinderella, and others)
• Faerie Gold: Treasures From Lands of Enchantment edited by Hunsicker and Lindskoog (not Cinderella, but many other fairy tales that also communicate much truth) [see our starred review]
• The Sword in the Tree by Clyde Robert Bulla (A boy’s adventure in an Arthurian setting with many similarities to Cinderella’s story arc)

Middle Grade Titles (all are read aloud friendly to younger audiences)

• Cinderella by E. Nesbit and illustrated by Arthur Rackham (a collaboration of two classic artists; kindle only)
• The Glass Slipper by Eleanor Farjeon (rumor has it that Disney “borrowed” from this version for the older, animated version. What do you think? kindle only) [see our review]
• The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye (great, fun read for inner/outer beauty discussions!) [see our starred review]
• The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (did you ever note the similarities between Cinderella’s story and Sara Crewe’s?)
• Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Yes! This, too, is a type of Cinderella story, even though the main character is a boy)
• Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis (Poor boy with stepfamily rescued out and restored to proper place: another Cinderella story!)

Young Adult Reads

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (a wonderful cyborg Cinderella tale with interesting ramifications!) [see our review]
• Cinderella’s Dress by Shonna Slayton (WWII setting!)
• The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (false identity, mistreatment, and a valiant boy = a great adventure for boys and girls both!)

Christian Resources

• God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh (a pretty, sparkly cover opens to great, solid biblical truth for young princess lovers) [see our review]
• God’s Mighty Warrior Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh (valiant truth for our young warriors) [see our review]
• The Priest with the Dirty Clothes by R. C. Sproul (ask children how the spiritual concept of imputation is seen in the story of Cinderella!)

What are YOUR favorite Cinderella versions? Be sure to check out our Discussion Starters for Cinderella, too (they will post tomorrow)!