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Summary
Summary
"A luminescent interpretation. Meticulously researched illustrations faithfully depict the ornate beauty of an ancient land" (Kirkus Reviews).
In this jewel-like version of a classic story, popular folklorist Shirley Climo tells the tale of Settareh, the Persian Cinderella.
Magic enables Settareh to outsmart two jealous stepsisters and win the heart of a prince. But where most Cinderella stories end, poor Sattareh's troubles are only beginning! The unexpected plot twists will enchant readers as they rediscover the familiar tale in the lush setting of long-ago Persia.
Shirley Climo's authentic details bring the story to life, and Robert Florczak's stunning paintings echo the vibrant colors and motifs of an ancient land.
Author Notes
Shirley Climo was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1928. She attended DePauw University until her mother died unexpectedly in 1949. She dropped out of college and took up her mother's work writing scripts for the weekly WGAR-Radio children's program Fairytale Theatre. During her lifetime, she wrote 24 books including The Korean Cinderella; Magic and Mischief: Tales from Cornwall; A Treasury of Princesses: Princess Tales from Around the World; A Treasury of Mermaids: Mermaid Tales from Around the World; and Someone Saw a Spider: Spider Facts and Folktales. She died on August 25, 2012 at the age of 83.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4After giving most of her money to a beggar, young Settareh spends her last coins on a cracked, blue jug instead of purchasing fabric for a new dress to wear to the princes celebrations. Resigned to remaining home, she discovers that the pot is inhabited by a pari that is able to grant her every wish. She attends the festival, catches the eye of the prince, leaves behind a diamond ankle bracelet, and is found by the queen. Settareh unwisely reveals the secret of the jug to her stepsisters, who steal it and instruct it to get rid of the young woman. The jug self-destructs, leaving behind six jeweled hairpins that, once placed in Settarehs hair, turn her into a turtledove. When the grieving prince befriends the bird, he finds the pins and pulls them out, thus restoring his beloved. The story is well told, although the drama, and hence the pace, is somewhat subdued. The narrative reads smoothly and majestically and Climo explains her choices in a source note. Florczaks sumptuous illustrations have jewel-like tones that glow against the brownline-paper background, and traditional designs decorate the text. The illustrations are realistic and appealing, although in one scene, Settareh is wearing a blue veil with her face exposed when the text specifies that she and the other women draped themselves in black to conceal their faces. Despite this minor flaw, this is a suitable complement to Climos other Cinderella stories.Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
"Climo's adaptation of this Arabian Nights myth offers a capricious twist on the Cinderella story," wrote PW. Ages 5-9. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
In this evocative retelling of a story from [cf2]The Arabian Nights[cf1], a fairy in a blue jug supplies Settareh with clothes for the prince's New Year celebration; later, Settareh's stepsisters almost thwart the happy ending by turning her into a turtledove. The hyperrealistic illustrations look artificially posed, but the architectural details and richly colored costumes effectively conjure up the Persian setting. From HORN BOOK Fall 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A luminescent interpretation of an ancient Persian tale is Climo's latest entry to her multicultural collection of Cinderella tales (The Irish Cinderlad, 1996, etc.). Motherless Settareh, whose name means star (a reference to the shape of the birthmark on her cheek), has a typically Cinderella-esque existence with her stepmother and stepsisters. That the ignored and often neglected young woman blossoms into a beauty is a foregone conclusion, but here her aid manifests itself as a pari'fairy'in a mysterious blue jar, and Settareh captures the interest of the young prince at the New Year celebration. The lush descriptions of an authentic time and place lend an exotic tone to the familiar tale: ``Each girl and every woman, no matter her age, covered her head with a cloak so that no stranger might look on her face. Then, like a flock of black birds, the mothers, daughters, sisters, and cousins flew down the road to the marketplace.'' Florczak's meticulously researched illustrations faithfully depict the ornate beauty of an ancient land. Minutely detailed borders frame the text while vibrant images stream in saturated colors across the pages. (Picture book/folklore. 5-9)
Booklist Review
Ages 4^-9. Climo adds to her series of multicultural Cinderella books (The Korean Cinderella [1993]), once again choosing a version of the traditional story authentic to the culture. Here, the main character is named Settareh, and she has a star on her cheek. Instead of a fairy godmother, she has a pari (a kind of fairy) who lives in a blue jar; but when her jealous stepsisters use the pari against her, Settareh is turned into a turtledove. Persian stories are not as plentiful as those from other cultures, and though the pacing isn't as successful as other versions, the memorable details (such as the thousand matched pearls that shower upon the new couple once the spell is broken) more than make up for it. Florczak's illustrations are stunningly exotic and beautiful, with each fold of clothing, each reflection on a surface, and each leaf on a tree lovingly portrayed. The people look as lifelike as photographs, each face unique. A fine addition for any folktale collection. --Susan Dove Lempke