The Korean Cinderella

Title: The Korean Cinderella
Author: Shirley Climo
Illustrator: Ruth Heller

Summary:
This book tells the classic story of Cinderella with a Korean flare. In this version of the Cinderella story, the main character's name is Pear Blossom. Pear Blossom is an extraordinary beauty. When she was just a young girl her mother died and she was left solely in the care of her father. Uncertain of how to raise his daughter alone, Pear Blossom's father went to the village's matchmaker to find a new wife. His new wife however was cruel and had a daughter who was just as mean. Together they made Pear Blossom's life miserable. They made her work well before the sun came up and long after it went to sleep. They also hated Pear Blossom for her immense beauty, so they did all in their power to hide it. One day when her stepmother and stepsister were being especially cruel in choosing her chores, Pear Blossom received help from a magical frog. Pear Blossom was hesitant to accept the frogs help at fist because she believed him to be a tokgabi, which is a type of goblin. She eventually did accept his help and was able to complete the impossible task she had been given by her stepmother. This infuriated her stepmother and thus Pear Blossom was given another seemingly impossible task. To complete this task she received help from a bunch sparrows. Her completion of the second task just angered her stepmother further. Pear Blossom's stepmother continued to give her impossible tasks and with the help of some special animals, Pear Blossom was able to complete them. Read this story to find out what happens to Pear Blossom and how this story compares to the original tale of Cinderella.

Making the Connection:
Cinderella like many other popular stories has many different variations. Like the Scar-Face Girl, this book would be a great way to talk to students about comparing and contrasting. After reading this book you could have students identify what elements were the same among the different tales of Cinderella and which elements were different. This book also has a multicultural aspect that would be a great way to start discussions about literature from around the world.