Very Little Cinderella

Starred review from July 13, 2015
Heapy and Heap follow 2014’s Very Little Red Riding Hood by introducing a toddler version of Cinderella whose house-cleaning style is more Jackson Pollock than Martha Stewart. She is livid when the Ugly Sisters (who are actually quite sweet) go to a party without her: “It not fair!” she wails. “I not stay here! I want to go toooo!” Luckily, her Fairy Godmother/babysitter is on hand to “magic” Cinderella over to the party—Cinderella insists, firmly, on wearing her blue dress, “stripey” hat, froggy coat, and “lello boots,” one of which she leaves behind. Cinderella’s prince, a similarly minded boy, returns the lost boot, “and they both played happily ever after.” With splashy watercolor-and-ink illustrations and a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek tone, Heapy and Heap celebrate the spirit of willful toddlers. Ages 4–8.

August 15, 2015
Cinderella as played by a very independent preschooler, housecleaning, Fairy Godmother (babysitter), missing yellow boot, and all. Very Little Cinderella is "cleaning" the house kid-style-as when kids clean and it's actually dirtier than when they started-when the Ugly Sisters tell her that she needs to clean up. "No!" she declares. "Cleaning all done. Now I have cookie." Just then, the Fairy Godmother appears, and the sisters tell Very Little Cinderella that they are off to a party. "I go too?" The Ugly Sisters escape just as Very Little Cinderella lets loose. Well, the Fairy Godmother tries to do her thing, but Very Little Cinderella has her own idea of what to wear and how to get to the party-just like a real preschooler. The day after, the crisis du jour is the missing yellow boot. Luckily, a Very Little Prince and his mommy save the day, making things even better with a playdate and a boot trade. In her watercolor-and-ink illustrations, Heap gets Very Little Cinderella's facial expressions and body language down to a T, from the hug she gives to her found yellow boot to her tantrum. Her resolute baby talk, on the other hand, is likely to polarize adult readers. Those going through their own independent phases-and their caregivers-may enjoy this take on a favorite fairy tale. (Fairy tale. 3-6)

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