Historical Fiction/Traditional Literature Just Ella By: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Just Ella By: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Historical Fiction/Traditional Literature


                 ... And they all lived happily ever after. The End? WRONG. At least for this Cinderella Wannabe. Like Cinderella, Ella faces ridicule by her step family daily, she goes to the ball, sweeps Prince Charming off of his feet, and is chosen to be his bride. This is where her tale in the story begins. Every day is filled with the joys of being a future queen. Unfortunately, Ella doesn't love learning latin, embroidery, or how to be dependent upon one's servants. Prince Charming turned out to be Prince Boring who admitted to proposing to her just because she was beautiful. She realizes that being royal isn't all it is cracked up to be. Problems for Ella get much worse when she realizes that she is falling for another man. She wishes to break off her engagement to the Prince, but it seems that that will only occur over her dead body. Getting a happily ever after in this story is going to be much harder for Ella than it originally seemed. 

             I would assign this book as one of the optional reading books that children would be assigned to read when completing a unit on fairy-tales and folklore. All of their options would be modern day or twisted versions of fairy tales that they grew up hearing. When finishing up the unit, my students would be assigned a project where they are assigned to compare the novel they chose to read to it's original or more popular tale.