In this book, Cinderella and Cinder Edna live next door to each other. They both have evil stepmothers and stepsisters and work hard day and night. The difference is, Cinder Edna seems to have a brighter outlook on her situation. Instead of sitting in the cinders after her work is done and relying on a fairy godmother to get her ready for the ball, Edna cleans the neighbor’s birdcages and saves up her money so she can buy the ball gown she has on layaway. While at the ball, Cinder Edna and Cinderella meet Prince Randolph and his younger brother Rupert. While Randolph sits around all day looking at himself in a mirror, Rupert is out recycling, gardening, and learning to play the concertina. As the clock strikes midnight, both girls have to get home. Cinderella takes her pumpkin coach while Edna takes the bus. The next day, both men search for their respective mystery women. Randolph decides to take the glass slipper door to door to find his soul mate, while Rupert looks in the phone book for women named Edna (since he was smart enough to get her name!) Soon both brothers find their mystery women and marry them. Randolph and Cinderella sit around all day looking pretty, while Rupert and Cinder Edna have fun laughing, cooking, recycling, and living happily ever after.
This book is a wonderful way to teach children about how being happy about what you have and making the best of things that come their way will allow them to live a good life and find their own happily ever after.
