Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella »

In this version of Cinderella, set in the Philippines, Abadeha endures abuse by her stepmother before being helped by the Spirit of the Forest and becoming the bride of the ...

Children's Literature

Part of a series of retold Cinderella stories from various cultures;Abadeha features all the elements that make this ancient format ever popular. The author researched the traditional Filipino folk tale, "a casualty of more than three hundred years of Spanish colonization and a century of Americanization," and lovingly presents the beautiful daughter, wicked stepmother and stepsisters, absent father, and Spirit of the Forest who magically rescues the heroine. Instead of white mice, there is a sarimanok, "a chicken with long flowing tail and feathers the color of the rainbow." Instead of a hearth of ashes, there is a mat torn up by a wild pig to be rewoven like new. But, of course, there is a handsome prince, a search for the maiden who can remove the ring from his finger, and a wedding at the end. I especially liked the title page using the "ancient and now forgotten system of writing" called Alibata, and the beautiful light-filled pictures of exotic clothing, flowers and animals that make this book so special. 2001, Shen's Books, $16.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer:Judy Chernak