CINDER EDNA

One of two new takes on a tale that feminists justly find problematic (see also Minters, below). This prose update recounts the parallel stories of a wimpy traditional Cinderella and her assertive, sensible neighbor Edna, who has wicked stepsisters too but enjoys the competence acquired from her work and earns extra cash with outside jobs—so that when the invitation arrives she already has a suitable ball dress on layaway. Wearing her comfortable loafers, she takes the bus to the palace and enjoys dancing and trading jokes with the prince's brother Rupert, a proponent of recycling who's smart enough to get Edna's name, much facilitating his later search for her. Poor Cinderella ends up bored with her handsome but vacuous prince while Edna and Rupert enjoy a modest but productive life, ``happily ever after.'' O'Malley's satirical characterizations and lively compositions are right in the spirit of the entertaining story. (Picture book. 5-10)