Cinderella may be beautiful but she is a miserable little madam When her Fairy Godfather makes her go to the ball, she is in a very bad temper. She stamps on the prince's foot and eats all the food. But Cinderella is about to have a big surprise.

Is this new land a place where magics really happen? From Gregory Maguire, the acclaimed author of Wicked, comes his much-anticipated second novel, a brilliant and provocative retelling of the timeless Cinderella tale. In the lives of children, pumpkins can turn into coaches, mice and rats into human beings.... When we grow up, we learn that it's far more common for human beings to turn into rats.... We all have heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty . . . and what curses accompanied Cinderella's exquisite looks? Extreme beauty is an affliction Set against the rich backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. Clara was the prettiest child, but was her life the prettiest tale? While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, burning all memories of her past, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household--and the treacherous truth of her former life. God and Satan snarling at each other like dogs.... Imps and fairy godmotbers trying to undo each other's work. How we try to pin the world between opposite extremes! Far more than a mere fairy-tale, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a novel of beauty and betrayal, illusion and understanding, reminding us that deception can be unearthed--and love unveiled--in the most unexpected of places.

Winifred and Prudence are kind and sweet--unlike their step-sister, Cinder-Ella. She is horrible! She'll do anything to get her own way, and even orders a spell to make her sisters really ugly. But spells don't last forever, so maybe Win and Pru will get a happy ending after all. This funny retelling of the fairytale classic is a must for all Cinderella fans.

Think you know the story of Cinderella? Think again... This laugh-out-loud picture book turns the traditional tale TOTALLY upside down!

English lit scholar Glenda Hudson examines Jane Austen's presentation of sibling love and rivalry in the context of the dramatic social and historical changes in the late 18th century--and also analyzes the incest motif in numerous works of the period.

History is told from one person's perspective. Sometimes they don't get it right.Ugly Stepsister Anna has wrongly been accused of being mean and evil. Now it is time she got the opportunity to tell her side of the story.With Cinderella so perfect and wonderful, it is no wonder Anna feels ugly in comparison. Dealing with bullies, a grumpy mother and the death of her step-father, Anna is at her wits end.When the Prince's ball approaches, Anna is told she must find a husband to save the family fortune. Attending with her sisters, the sulky Prince Charming only has eyes for Cinderella.With the burden of being the only one to unite her step-sister with the Prince, will Anna act as cupid? Or will she protect Cinderella from the arrogant Charming?A charming twist to the story of Cinderella, told completely from the point of view of the Ugly Step-Sister.Also in the series: Saving RapunzelKilling Snow WhiteThe Beast With No BeautyI Love Little RedUgly Sleeping BeautyHansel and Gretel: Devil Childre

The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more.