Cinderella Stays Late (Grimmtastic Girls, #1)

by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

• ISBN10: 060635395X
• ISBN13: 9780606353953
• Publish Date: 25 March 2014
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 13 September 2021
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Bound for Schools & Libraries ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 192
• Language: English

Reviews

I love this series. Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams are amazing at fracturing myths and legends. This is no exception to that. The Grimmtastic Girls series takes on fairytale characters, writing lighthearted mysteries about the current nefarious plans the E.V.I.L. society is up to. Using the framework of the myths we know and love, Holub and Williams, twist these into tween friendly novels emphasising friendship and family.

Cinderella Stays Late introduces the fairytale gang attending Grimm Academy. Cinda is the new girl at school. She's nervous about starting at the Academy and unfortunately her stepsisters do their best to mislead her with what the school is like, how she should act and what the classes actually consist of. Thankfully, she quickly meets some great new friends, Red, Snow and Rapunzel - even if the Balls class she's taking isn't the sports class she wanted but is actually dancing. Cute little story. I liked the characters, plot was a bit thin. Amusing enough. Target audience would be 3.5 stars. Own rating, 3.

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

Source: Netgalley

Cinderella Stays Late is a fabulous adventure story that draws readers into a world of fashion and friendship.  Readers follow protagonist Cinda through her first days at Grimm Academy, where fairy tale characters can learn everything from etiquette to magic.  Cinda, however, will find her greatest lesson is learning to be confident and be herself.  Her nasty stepsisters may attend Grimm Academy with her, but they no longer have to control her life!

Cinda’s personal story is one of growth, but the overarching plot is a mystery/adventure.  There are tons of girly moments as Cinda and her friends prepare for an approaching ball, but problems bigger than what shoes best match what dress may prevent them all from going!  The school is missing a magical artifact, and Cinda thinks she just might know where to find it.  Although readers do get some resolution for this plot, a lot is left open-ended.  Cinderella Stays Late is in many ways the start of a story, rather than a self-contained one.  Readers will have to continue with the series to get answers.

Cinda’s classic story—attending a ball, meeting a prince, losing a shoe—is skillfully woven into all this action.  Holub and Williams win big with their decision to have Cinda’s tale play out at Grimm Academy itself, as it can be difficult to make books where fairy tale characters all attend school together make sense.  (See my previous review of Shannon Hale’s The Storybook of Legends for more on this.)  One question the authors do not address: How can the characters know they are story characters—but not know what their stories are?  This question is nagging, but is ultimately a minor issue and it does not hinder the flow of the plot in any way.

Though the book draws on fairy tales, the authors ensure their retelling is up-to-date and relatable to today’s girls with the inclusion of “fairy tale slang.”  Characters, for example, might exclaim, “That’s so Grimm!” to express that something is amazing.  This playful language is never cheesy and succeeds in making the book sound just a touch modern, even though the characters jokingly mention that it will always be the Middle Ages in Grimmlandia.

Cinderella Stays Late is everything a reader could want in a middle-grade retold fairy tale.  It keeps the spirit of the original story while putting a new, contemporary spin on the characters and plot.  At times funny, thoughtful, and surprising, it will keep readers turning pages to see what Cinda and her friends get up to next.  Recommended for fans of E. D. Baker, Shannon Hale, and Sarah Mlynowski.