Adelita

1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA
Adelita--A Mexican Cinderella Story

Written and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons

Published 2002

ISBN 0-399-23866-2

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The traditional story of Cinderella gets a spanish twist in Tomie dePaola's retelling of this classic tale. The basic storyline is the same--a young girl, Adelita, who is deeply loved by her father is left to live with his second wife and her two daughters after his death. The only friend Adelita has left is Esperanza, a woman who has known her since she was a baby. Instead of a fairy godmother to help her get to Senor Javier's fiesta, Adelita has Esperanza. Then, when the ball is over, it is not a glass slipper Senor Javier finds, but instead a memory of a red rebozo that leads Senor Javier back to Adelita.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I have always been captivated by Tomie dePaola's colorful illustrations, and this story did not disappoint me. The vibrant pictures aided in the retelling of this classic story. dePaola's use of color and space helped make the story come alive as I read.

I particularly liked the hispanic twist this version of Cinderella provided. The spanish phrases sprinkled throughout the story gave an authentic "voice" to the story, and helped add to the setting of the story. Also, I liked the fact that the "Fairy Godmother" was an important person in Adelita's life, and not a magical image that was conjured. Using Esperanza for that role helped me see the tight bond these two ladies shared, and how as long as they had each other, they would be all right. The use of the rebozo, a traditional Mexican shawl, instead of a glass slipper also gave this story a taste of Mexican culture and tradition.

I feel that any person who loves the story of Cinderella should read this version for another perspective of this tradtional fariy tale.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
*From Publisher's Weekly--"dePaola tweaks just enough details to make his version (of Cinderella) fresh."
*From School Library Journal--"Making perfect use of clear, warm hues, the full color acrylic illustrations are a feast for the eye."

5. CONNECTIONS
*This Cinderella version could be a great opening story for a unit on Mexico and their rich traditions.
*Students could create a graphic organizer that highlights the similarities and differences of Adelita with a more tradtional version of Cinderella.
*Adelita provides readers with a variety of spanish words and phrases--students could use those words to creat a Spanish/English Picture Dictionary.