Preview of Ella Enchanted Summary:

Levine follows glass slippers through her first children's novel, Ella Enchanted.

Complications in this modern retelling of the familiar Cinderella story arise because a fairy creates the heroine's dilemma, her godmother refuses to help, and with no knight on a white horse galloping up to save her, Ella has to solve her own problem.

Lucinda, the fairy, has bestowed the gift of obedience on Ella. She must obey any specific command directed at he—even if it is to cut off her head or jump into the frying pan. Rather than sit helplessly by the fireplace ruing her fate, Ella squirms rebelliously in the curse's grip. She uses her words and wit to retaliate against her thoughtless or unkind taskmasters. Finally she sets out to find Lucinda to ask release from the curse.

Ella weaves her way through unsympathetic parents, the wicked stepmother, Dame Olga, and her...