Age Group: 12+ Years

Description:

At her birth, Ella of Frell is given a "gift" by a well-meaning but foolish fairy named Lucinda — the gift of obedience. From then on, Ella must do whatever she is told, whether it's to hop on one foot for hours or stop eating mid-meal. But Ella is far too spirited to accept such a fate quietly, and she takes her small revenges wherever she can. When her beloved mother dies and her father packs her off to finishing school with two scheming stepsisters, Ella sets out on a daring quest to find Lucinda and break the curse for good. Along the way she meets ogres, giants, elves, and the kind young Prince Char, whose friendship grows into something more. Witty, brave, and gloriously inventive, this Newbery Honor–winning reimagining of Cinderella celebrates a heroine who refuses to wait to be rescued.