Adelita

dePaola, T. (2002). Adelita. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Brief Annotation: This book, infused with Spanish phrases and set in Mexico, tells the story of Adelita, a kind but unfortunate girl. Adelita, as in traditional Cinderella stories, is forced to work by her mean step mother. She too wishes to attend the ball. Read along to learn how she finds her “prince.”

Genre: Picturebook, Fairytale, Culturally Diverse

Grade Level: K-3

Readers who will like this: Cinderella fans, readers who root for the underdog, Spanish-speakers, children who enjoy the work of Tome dePaola.

Response/Rating (1-4): **** I appreciated the rich cultural setting that dePaola provides in this tale, and enjoyed reading the Spanish along with the English. I also liked the post-modern twist: Adelita is aware of the Cinderella story and succeeds because of this knowledge.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What would the story of Cinderella be like if there were no glass slippers or fairy godmother?