Edinger House students have been deep into a study of Cinderella.  After considering how they had first encountered the story (many had it read to them or saw the Disney movie), exploring the different folkloric tale types, they read from a huge classroom and online variant collection. Additionally, they watched movies, considered the theme as it shows up in popular culture, and explored the idea of motifs.

Once the students had encountered approximately 20 different versions (some read independently and some read to them) they were asked to select 10 that they consider the best along with reasons why.  To do this the class made the following list of criteria.

• The story is unique/difference
• It has high quality vocabulary
• It is clear and not confusingly written
• It includes a more detailed ending (e.g. what happens to bad and good people)
• It has humor (even for non-parodies)
• There is more said about the test (which is often a shoe test)
• Isn’t so predictable; one that surprises you
• Is a bit different, perhaps adding a twist
• Doesn’t have to have a happy ending
• Has a different perspective (e.g. from stepsister’s point of view).

After identifying their own top ten Cindies the children met in table groups to come up with three lists. In order to do this they had to follow a very careful process, one that was designed for each person to have a voice.

1. They began by making a list of all the books they had selected and how many votes each received.
2. They then ordered the votes and decided whether to eliminate some titles that received only one vote.
3. They presented and discussed all the remaining titles.
4. They did a final vote for the top ten Cinderellas from their group.
5. They put book marks from their group into the winning titles.

All of the winning Cinderellas are now on display in our classroom. Congratulations to all of them!

All three groups selected:

• Aschenputtel retold by the Grimm Brothers
• Yeh Shen retold by Ai-Ling Louie
• Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave  as told by Marianna Mayer
• Ugh by Arthur Yorink

Two of three groups selected:

• The Gift of the Crocodile retold by Judy Sierra
• Moss Gown retold by William H. Hooks
• The Rough-Face Girl retold by Rafe Martin

The following were each selected by one group:

• The Little Seven-Colored Horse retold by Robert D. San Souci
• Little Gold Star retold in Spanish & English by Joe Hayes
• Cendrillon retold by Robert D. San Souci
• The Fairytale of Mossycoat retold by Philip Pullman
• Princess Furball retold by Charlotte Huck
• Angkat retold by Jewell Reinhart Coburn
• Cinderella retold by Lynn Roberts
• The Talking Eggs retold by Robert D. San Souci
• The Korean Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo
• Dinorella by Pamela Duncan Edwards
• That Awful Cinderella by Dr. Alvin Granowsky
• Trollerella by Karen M. Stegman