Ella Enchanted

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Title: Ella Enchanted

Illustrator: None

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Subgenre: Chapter Book

Theme: You can overcome anything if you simply believe in yourself.

Primary Characters: Ella, Hattie, Prince Charmont, Olive, Lucinda, Mandy

Secondary Characters: Lady Eleanor, The King and Queen, Arieda, Dame Olga, Ella's Father, Ogres, Elves, Giants

Award/Date: Newbery/1997

Publisher: HarperCollins

Summary: Ella, after losing her mother, is faced with many challenges. Aside from the gift Lucinda gave her to obey EVERY order given to her, her father is very difficult for her to deal with, and he even decides to send her off to finishing school. At the same time, she meets Prince Charmont for the first time at her mother's funeral, but when she is forced to go to finishing school she temporarily loses touch with him. After many trials with her new mother, Dame Olga, and her two new stepsisters, Olive and Hattie (especially after they learn she is obedient), she goes throughout the story finding love, friendship, and a strength that she never realized that she had.

How used: I would use this story to teach children about fantasy books. They would be able to see how realistic life events are woven with obviously unrealistic things. It would illustrate a whole new world of creativity and life. It would be fantastic for older elementary students and middle school students for both the lessons and simply for the enjoyable plot.