Adelita is a
retelling of the classic Cinderella story with a few
refreshing twists. A long time ago in a Mexican village,
there lived a young couple, Francisco and Adela Mercado. Sadly the young mother passes away soon after the birth of their daughter, Adelita. Francisco later marries Senora Micaela de la Fortuna, a cold-hearted widow with two daughters, Valentina and Dulce, all of whom treat Adelita harshly when the father is not around. Adelita must prepare all the meals, clean the rooms, and do all the hard work. One day, a neighbor, Senior and Senora Gordillo, send an invitation -
una fiesta en su hacienda – to a party at their ranch, to celebrate the homecoming of their son, Javier. Guess who doesn’t get to go? You won’t find the fairy godmother of the traditional tale, but a woman named Esperanza, the housekeeper who has taken care of the Mercado family for years. She waves no magic wand to turn a pumpkin into a carriage or rags into a ball gown. Instead Esperanza shows Adelita a locked trunk that holds a beautiful white dress and a
rebozo – a shawl - once worn by her mother, Adela. At the fiesta Adelita captures the heart of Javier, until she remembers she’s just the maid and runs away (at midnight, of course!). Beautifully illustrated with vibrant folk art from Mexico, this
Cenicienta, or Cinderella, story is an enchanting read from the beginning…to the happily ever after.
About the Author / Illustrator
Tomie dePaola (pronounced da-POW-la) has written and illustrated over 200 books for children, including Newbery Honor winner
26 Fairmont Avenue and Caldecott Honor winner
Strega Nona (click on link below to read its review on this website).