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Just Ella (Hardcover)

by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Author), Ren� Milot (Illustrator) "The fire had gone out, and I didn't know what to do ..." (more)

4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (144 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (Sep 1 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439296900
ISBN-13: 978-0689821868
ASIN: 0689821867
Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 14.8 x 2 cm
Shipping Weight: 350 g

Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (144 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #1,308,963 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category:
#52 in Books > Teens > Authors, A-Z > ( H ) > Haddix, Margaret Peterson

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

In Just Ella, Margaret Peterson Haddix puts a spin on the traditional tale of the glass slippers. In her version, Ella (sans "Cinder") finds her own way to the ball (there was no fairy godmother, despite the rumors) and wins the heart of the prince. But now she is finding that life at the palace as Prince Charming's betrothed is not as great as she thought it was going to be. In fact, it's downright boring for a self-reliant and active girl to do needlework all day or listen to instructions on court etiquette from the strict and cold Madame Bisset. Worst of all, Ella is beginning to suspect that Charming's beautiful blue eyes and golden hair are attached to a head with nothing in it. Her young tutor Jed, however, talks with her about serious things that really matter. Ella finally gets up the courage to announce to Charming that she doesn't want to go through with the wedding, but when she finds herself locked in the dungeon she realizes it's not that easy to walk away from a politically arranged marriage. In the end, as in all good fairy tales, our heroine and hero do manage to live happily ever after--but with a twist.

Fairy tale retellings are an entrancing form of young adult fiction, as they add psychological insight and turn events around for a surprising contemporary angle. Teens who enjoy this delightful revamping of an age-old story may also enjoy Donna Jo Napoli's Spinners and Zel or the Newbery Honor book Ella Enchanted, by Gail Levine. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

From Publishers Weekly

Haddix (Running Out of Time) puts a feminist spin on the Cinderella story, beginning her tongue-in-cheek novel where the traditional story ends. Ella Brown plans to live happily ever after when Prince Charming whisks her from her evil step-family. But when she arrives at the castle, she discovers that the prince is a dull dud, needlepoint is now her most strenuous activity and her ladies in waiting are abuzz with a concocted tale involving Ella, a fairy godmother and a pumpkin (in fact her own resourcefulness got Ella to the ball). When she refuses to marry "Charm," as she calls him, she is thrown in the dungeon to be held there until the wedding day. Making matters worse, Jed, her one kindred spirit, unaware of her imprisonment, leaves to start a refugee camp for victims of the castle's war with a neighboring kingdom. But luckily Ella is not a girl who needs magic or a man to save her. Haddix weaves in elements of fairy tale, with colorful characters such as Lord Reston, Ella's portly, pompous religious teacher; Quog, the ogre-ish jailer; and, of course, the cruel-to-the-core Step Evils. But Ella's modern sensibility seems jarring against a chivalric backdrop (e.g., "Don't that beat all?" Ella says, imitating a servant). Still, her straightforward, often gleefully glib narrative breathes fresh life into the tale. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
The fire had gone out, and I didn't know what to do. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

144 Reviews

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(7)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (144 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars a more realistic cinderella, Dec 21 2004

By	Adri "adri_singer" (canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Ella (Paperback)

fairytales are storys where in the end everyones happy and things go as planned.in the end of this book everyones happy(well i dont no about prince charming)but all does not go as planned.cinderella and prince charming are to live happily ever after...but for that to happen aren't they supposed to be together??not in this case!!who says cinderella and prince charming have to get married or love each other??who said prince charming has to be charming?who says ella cant marry the love of her life.read this book and read the cinderella that is more real,fun,adventurous and romantic

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4.0 out of 5 stars A lesson in gender equality, Jul 14 2004

By	Tom Knapp "Rambles.NET editor" (Lancaster, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Just Ella (Paperback)

So many fairytales end with a simple "happily ever after" ... but is it ever really so simple?

Just Ella, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, turns the Cinderella story on its ear by exploring the young girl's motivations and examining gender roles that apply, honestly, more to modern times than they did in the medieval setting of the book. Still, young readers (and adults, too!) will enjoy this fractured version, which starts with Ella enduring lessons in etiquette, needlepoint and other princessly duties in the castle of her betrothed, Prince Charming. But, while the prince is, of course, charming and quite handsome to boot, Ella begins to wonder if that's a suitable foundation for lifelong romance.

Of note, this book gives us a Cinderella who does not rely on fairy godmothers, talking mice or convertible pumpkins to make her way to and from the prince's ball. Determined to go despite the scorn of the "step-evils" who plague her life, Ella uses the resources at hand and no small amount of ingenuity to get herself where she wants to be (as explained in a brief but entertaining flashback, in which we learn that glass slippers hurt).

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5.0 out of 5 stars Just Ella, May 24 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Just Ella (Paperback)

Just Ella is a terrific book! It's a perfect book for a romantic lover! And everyone that knows me knows that that's my kind of book. It's a great story about what happened after Cinderella and her prince get in their carriage.
Ella gets to live in the castle with everything you can imagine, but she only sees the prince once a week. During their engagement Ella learns that she is not in love with the prince. She does not want to live in the castle, nor have the prince's kids. She thinks about what she should do. She decides to tell him that she does nit want to marry him anymore. She does it... but they wont let her leave or do what she wants to do. They stick her in a jail cell. She is in there for days. A servant gives Ella a shovel. Ella digs herself out a day before the wedding. She walks to Jed, her love of her life. He is miles and mile away.
Does Ella make it to Jed? Does the prince go after her? Does Ella ever get married? This Cinderella story is a GREAT book! It has love, humor, and adventure in it. It will make you think. I promise... you'll LOVE it!

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book
This book is very suspensful and very good written.This book isnt like anything I read before.And it is not the same as Cinderella but better. Read more

Published on April 29 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Retelling and Continuation of 'Cinderella'
Ella knows that she is beautiful, even though she is merely skin and bones thanks to her wicked stepmother and evil stepsister's mistreatment of her, but she still plans on going... Read more

Published on April 21 2004 by Erika Sorocco

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book
I liked Just Ella. Something always happens. Ella is unpredictable, you can't tell what she is going to do next. Ella decides she has no feeling for the prince. Read more

Published on April 21 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Happily Ever After........and so you'd think!
Ella, a princess, had the perfect life. She was engaged to the Prince, lived in a castle and was going to live happily ever after...and so she thought. Read more

Published on April 15 2004