Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett

from goodreads

4 stars

I love Jan Brett books. Mostly for the detailed illustrations. My favourite book of hers is The Mitten. Just looking at the front cover of this book I knew that her classic, detailed style would enchant me into this story. If you have never picked up one of her books before I really urge you too. And while you read the book, take time to really observe the illustrations. I find something new and wonderful in them every time I look.

Synopsis

This is basically the story of Cinderella but played out by chickens on a cold winters night in a Russian forest.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. Not so much for the story but, for the illustrations. They were beautiful. I loved the way she used different varieties of chickens to play different characters. Cinders was a plain gray chicken. The Prince was a cockerel with the biggest tail plume ever. I loved the chickens with the long head feathers. They worked with their role in the story.

I loved the details on the dresses and the ice palace and the chicken tower. In so many illustrated children's books that kind of detail is not there. In fact it is usually the simpler the better. Brett shows that illustrations can be complex yet, simply convey the story. She shows that illustrations are worth pausing for a moment to explore.

The story itself is essentially Cinderella. There is no new twist to it, and for me there really doesn't need to be. My children liked the book for the story, but as you can tell I liked it for the illustrations.

So if you like chickens and you like Cinderella, then you will like this book. If you like beautiful artwork then you will like this book. It is definitely worthwhile to pick up.