CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowell, Susan. 2000. CINDY ELLEN: A WILD WESTERN CINDERELLA . Ill. by Jane Manning. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780064438643

2. PLOT SUMMARY
From the time we are introduced to the sweet and gentle Cindy Ellen on her daddy’s ranch, we know that this is no ordinary Cinderella. Cindy is mistreated by her stepmother (who wears the pants in the family) and her stepsisters, who are meaner than rattlesnakes. Cindy Ellen is treated as a cowhand and longs for the day she can ride at Joe Prince’s Rodeo.

Her gun toting, spirited fairy godmother decks her out as a rodeo princess and she out rides her stepsisters with her diamond spurs and new founded gumption. She wins over the “Prince”, but gallops home before midnight. The lovelorn Prince has a square dance in hopes of meeting his cowgirl. Cindy Ellen arrives in her enchanted stagecoach, and do-si-does her way right into Joe’s heart, only to leave him at midnight with her diamond spur.

Joe Prince searches the territory, making Cindy Ellen a wanted woman. He arrives at her ranch, the stepsisters try to make the spur fit, but Cindy Ellen is the true owner. Her cotton dress is turned into satin as her fairy godmother returns to shoot her magic pistol. Cindy Ellen and Joe Prince get hitched, the stepsisters marry city slickers, and all is well as the main two characters ride into the sunset.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The western flare of this tales makes it. The author uses all kinds of western expressions such as “meaner than a rattlesnake”, “pretty as a peach””, “gravel in your gizzard”, “rustle me up”, “Let her rip”, and “yee-haw”. This story must be read with a southern twang! At the end of the book are notes explaining rodeos, cowgirls (especially Annie Oakley), and western dancing.

Jane Manning captures the comic expression of this Cinderella version in her illustrations while remaining true to the elements of the west. The backgrounds have cacti, brush, lizards, barbed wire fences, and jackrabbits. The rodeo pictures include a thrown sister with a face full of sand. The twinkling lights of the square dance are reminiscent of western dances. From Cindy Ellen mending a barbed wire fence to the Just Hitched sign on the horse drawn wagon riding into the sunset (literally) these images compliment the witty story by Susan Lowell.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of the Western Writers of American Spur Award

The Horn Book: "Expressive regional turns of phrase and exuberant full-color comic illustrations in skewed perspectives place the action squarely in the dry desert of the West.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Bright, stylish…Manning tricks out her characters in dazzling modern cowboy dress.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Since Susan Lowell has written several fractured tales with a western theme, an author study could be done while visiting the tales. Students could decide which traditional tale went with each version. There is even a version of a fable. Students could discuss the common settings, character types, and western flair. Then each tale could be written into a reader’s theatre to perform with props and/or costumes representing the Western theme.

Lowell, Susan. THE BOOTMAKER AND THE ELVES. ISBN 9780531071380
Lowell, Susan. DUSTY LOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS. ISBN 9780805075342
Lowell, Susan. LITTLE RED COWBOY HAT. ISBN 9780805064834
Lowell, Susan. THE THREE LITTLE JAVELINAS: LOS TRES PENQUENOS JABALIES. ISBN 9780873585422

Fable
Lowell, Susan. THE TORTOISE AND THE JACK RABBIT. ISBN 9780873585866

JOSEFINA JAVELINA: A HAIRY TALE takes one the characters from THE THREE LITTLE JAVELINAS: LOS TRE PENQUENOS JABALIES and continues her story. After reading this book, students could be encouraged to write a continuation of one of the other stories they have read.

Lowell, Susan. JOSEFINA JAVELINA: A HAIRY TALE. ISBN 9780873587907