IF THE SHOE FITS

A potential princess gets down to business in this comics adaptation of Mlynowski’s “Cinderella” retelling.

Yearning to return to the fairy-tale world after their adventure with Snow White, siblings Abby and Jonah obsessively check on their enchanted basement mirror. When the mirror allows, they find themselves not in Snow’s forest but in the coat closet of a palace. They’re in the kingdom of Floom, at the royal ball where Cinderella meets her prince. Although Abby cautions Jonah that they must avoid doing anything to alter the story, the interloping siblings follow Cinderella home, hoping to locate a mirror portal to get to their own home, but they accidentally cause Cinderella to break her foot and her remaining glass slipper. These mishaps require a call to Cinderella’s fairy godmother, who lectures her on the importance of self-reliance. Cinderella decides to get a job, and Abby and Jonah help her cook up a brisk “crownie” business (Cinderella’s take on the brownie). The narrative smartly incorporates business basics such as product testing, profit margins, and marketing. And though the original tale may have been altered—despite Abby’s warnings—the results are downright enchanting; fairy-tale fans will be pleased. Crandall’s cheerful cartooning enlivens bustling city market scenes and dramatic family confrontations in Cinderella’s shabby quarters. Abby and Jonah are tan-skinned, Cinderella and her family are pale-skinned, and the kingdom of Floom is diverse.

A playful reimagining that celebrates self-sufficiency and sweet treats.