The Rough-Face Girl. Rafe Martin. Illus. by David Shannon. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1992. 32 pages. $15.95 (Hardcover). ISBN 0-399-21859-9. Grades PreK-3.
My Thoughts…
I know there are hundred maybe even more versions of what I know as the Cinderella story. While my mind instantly jumps to the animated cartoon version of Walt Disney, there is no doubt that some children’s mind will and should jump to The Rough-Face Girl. I love the Cinderella story, that beauty comes from within, that the meek and mistreated will prosper, etc. I always love the story of the underdog, and that is not limited to the Hillary Duff, Chad Michael Murray film A Cinderella Story. I must also admit that I have seen and kind of liked A Cinderella Story 2 with Selena Gomez. I also found the Appalachian version of Ashpet that I have heard adorable. The fact of the matter is I love Cinderella stories and I don’t think I’ve met one that I didn’t like. Okay, I have, but it is NOT a children or young adult material…it is a film from 1977 that would definitely be considered soft-core porn. I digress…The Rough-Face Girlmay be one of the best Cinderella stories I have ever heard.
I love that it takes the Native American focus and appreciation for nature and its beauty and turns it in to the ‘prince’ or Invisible Being. I think having to see the beauty of nature and making due with what you have is a much better lesson than having a fairy godmother make you a custom glass slipper. In the traditional Cinderella stories it seems that the girl must go through a transformation to catch the prince’s eye, where that is not the case here. In this story natural, inner beauty is visible first, and then the transformation takes place. I think this is a positive image about being beautiful from the inside out and not worrying about having the perfect dress or the perfect moccasins. I think this story would not only be perfect for the target audience, but I think older girls need to hear and read this story too.
No comments:
Post a Comment