The Glass Slipper

I looked this up on a recommendation from a friend, and was intrigued. Some of the language and characterization is not what we would use today, but the word play is whimsical and fun, and the interactions between Cinderella and the Prince feel real and sentimental. I must say too that in this version the father is alive, and my heart just broke for him–he's a sweet, lost character, also a victim of the stepmother's abuse.

I have a theory–totally unproven, and I've only done the most cursory of research–but still, I have a theory that this book helped inform the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Instances of unique language and the fairy godmother backstory are the same, and some of Cinderella's dialogue with the Prince feels similar. I only happened to notice it because I saw the musical recently. ;)