Cinderella Rex (Once Before Time)
by Christy Webster
illustrated by Holly Hatam
Date: 2019
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Cinderella Rex loves to dance, but will she get to attend the royal ball? From Epic! Originals, Once Before Time is a playful board book series of fairy tales reimagined from a time long ago... with dinosaurs!
In this prehistoric retelling of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella Rex wants to go to the ball, but her stompmother and stompsisters make her clean up after them instead. With some help from her Fairy Triceratops, Cinderella Rex figures out how to dance her way to living happily ever after!
(synopsis from Goodreads)
This book is seriously cute.
Cinderella Rex lives with her stompmother and two stompsisters. Her defining characteristic is that she loves to dance. So when the family gets an invitation to the ball, Cinderella Rex is excited... until she gets left at home. But not to worry: her Fairy Triceratops has everything covered. With a wave of her magic horns, she provides a dress and shoes (with hilariously separate toes) and magical transportation. At the ball, Cinderella Rex just can't help herself and starts to dance to the music. Everyone stops and stares, because she's the best dancer they've ever seen! The prince is taken with her dancing abilities, but before he has a chance to talk to her, the clock strikes midnight and Cinderella Rex must flee. Because her arms are too short to pick it up, she has to leave her lost shoe behind and escape into the night. The prince uses the shoe to go searching for the amazing dancer he saw at the ball, and... well, most of us know the rest.
The illustrations are adorable, and the clever little plays on words and jokes about tiny T-Rex arms are amusing. But what I really like about this one is that the prince isn't smitten by a pretty face; he's intrigued by Cinderella Rex's skill as a dancer. In fact, there's really no romance here at all. The prince's quest to find the mysterious dancer is more about intrigue and appreciation than it is about trying to find a mate. We need more fairy tale retellings like this.
Cinderella Rex is lots of fun. Those who enjoy fairy tales--especially ones with new and modern twists--will find plenty to enjoy here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing a digital ARC.
Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Overall: 4 out of 5
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