Cinderella

This title is a companion volume to Theobalds' delightful Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Dutton, 0 525 69043 3, £8.99 pbk hbk, 0 525 69042 5, £3.99 pbk pbk). Both books have a nostalgic nursery setting and the illustrations show the characters as toys - thus Cinderella is a china doll while Prince Charming becomes handsome Prince Teddy. Goldilocks and Three Bears has been well loved as a good rendition of a favourite tale, but it has also proved worth its weight in gold in helping Infants to enact stories using toys as the characters. (Note to teachers - masses of National Curriculum English can be covered at one fell swoop using this idea!) A press-out-and-make book of the three bears' cottage is also available (telephone Prue Theobalds Ltd on 01424 422306 for details of local stockist) to support this title. Theobalds' new title, Cinderella, consequently, was greeted with open arms by her young fans who thoroughly enjoyed the book in its own right! It can also, of course, be used to encourage children to enact stories using toy although it demands a lot more of children in terms of plot and of the teacher in terms of providing props and characters than Goldilocks does. Full marks to Prue Theobalds for the attention to detail in the illustrations and for sticking to a hand lettered text that, as well as being decorative, helps to reinforce the idea that a story originates from a writer's pen. It also suggests to children that they can write little books too.