Just Ella (Aladdin Fantasy)
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Book Summary Information
Author: Margaret Peterson HaddixIllustrator: René Milot
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-08-01
ISBN: 0689821867
Number of pages: 218
Publisher: Aladdin
Book Reviews of Just Ella (Aladdin Fantasy)
Book Review: School Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Ella Brown is just a simple girl, but when she gets picked to marry the prince, all that changes. Ella is having a hard time adapting to the palace life. She had been a hardworking servant for her step-mother Lucille and step-sisters Griselda and Corimunde. This story begins with Ella lying in bed. She's could and her fire has gone out. She gets up and starts it herself. When she is sitting with her ladies in waiting when Madame Bisset comes in. She told Ella that she is never to start her on fire again. It is not her job and the servants live to serve them. The made who was supposed to start the fire got fired because she wasn't there. While she was attending one of her lessons, her instructor lord Reston collapsed. She ran to him trying to figure out how to help him. She ran into the hallway and told a servant girl to run and get a doctor. Ella wasn't allowed to stay and see if Lord Reston was okay. When she asked Madame Bisset about it, she said Ella shouldn't be worried. And that women should be "spared from unpleasantness." The next day Ella talked to her new friend Mary who she sent to go get a doctor. When she was in her room a man named Jed came in and said that he was Lord Reston's son and would be taking over his dad's job. They became very good friends. He told her that she wanted to open a refugee camp to help with the Sualan War. He told her that people said that she got picked because of her fairy godmother. (like the story of Cinderella.) Jed seemed disappointed. Ella only got to spend a little alone time with the prince. They didn't talk much and never did much together. The king announced that there would be a tournament and everyone would go out for it. Ella was excited to finally get to go outside. When the day of the tournament arrived they made Ella put on a dress that she could hardly move or breath in. They walked out to the stadium, took their seats, and then a curtain was closed so they couldn't see. Ella ordered to have it opened so she could watch Madame Bisset told her no. Ella went over and was about to open the curtain when Madame Bisset told her if she did she would never marry the prince. Then Ella fainted. After that she spent a long time thinking a lot. It was at this time that she realized that she did not love the prince. She had decided to tell him this at their nightly meetings. When she tried to tell him he didn't take it well. He was confused and asked her to stay put while he went to go get someone to help him sort this out. She said no and tried to run away, but he grabbed her skirt and accidentally ripped of one of the ruffles. He tied her up with this and ran and got Madame Bisset. They ended up arguing and Ella fainted again. When she woke up she was in a dungeon. Madame Bisset told her that she would keep Ella in the dungeon until she agreed to marry the prince. Ella knew she had to get out. At night she would dig a hole and escape through it. This took her a long time but she managed to do it. She went back to her old house and took some food and a dress so she wouldn't look royal. She was making her way to Jed's refugee camp. That was all the way on the Sualan border. When she got there Jed recognized her at once. They sat down to talk. He told her that the prince had apparently found someone else to marry because he heard about a wedding. He told her that she could stay. Then he kneeled, and asked Ella to marry him. He said that he had always loved her. She said she couldn't answer then but would wait six months and then answer. They worked together and then Jed got a letter saying that his dad ad died and he was to come to the castle to take over the job. He left Ella promising to return. She knew then that she loved him. He sent her a letter saying that he might return but not to soon. And that the one they found to replace Ella as the princess was here Step sister Corimunde. She read his letter knowing that she was happy for once. Then she returned to work. This is a good book that has humor, determination, and a good story line.
This book has a lot of funny moments. An example of a funny moment is when Madame Bisset yelled at Ella for starting her own fire. Ella didn't understand what the big deal because she was cold so she lit the fire. Madame Bisset looked like she was going to faint when Ella said this. She acted like it was absolutely horrible and unthinkable. Another example is when they went to the tournament. Ella was excited to finally be outside but they wouldn't even let her watch. And she had to where that stupid dress that she couldn't breath in. When Madame Bisset threatened her, she fainted! Another example is when Ella found out that Corimunde was the new princess. Corimunde was not skinny or pretty and they just picked her because she was the first one to answer the door. They didn't just replace her with anyone, they replaced her with her step sister.
Ella didn't give up and kept on going with what she had to do. An example of this is when she gets locked in the dungeon. Even though all she had to do was say that she would marry the prince to get out, she wouldn't. She stood by her feelings. Even though she was being starved, she knew she didn't love the prince and wouldn't marry him. Another example is when she was digging a whole trying to get out of the dungeon. The dirt was hard, packed together, and full of rocks. It took every ounce of her strength and energy, and with the lack of food there wasn't much of that. But she kept with it and soon she got out. Another example is when Ella was running away. She was trying to get to Jed's refugee camp which was really for away. She walked all night and hid during the day. Even though it took a long time and she risked getting caught, she kept on going until she made it.
It's funny to see Ella ask the obvious questions that the reader is asking themselves. An example of this is when Ella asks Madame Bisset "Why can't I light my own fire?" Madame Bisset just said that it wasn't Ella's duty and that's what the servants lived for. Ella thought it was stupid because she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. Another example of this is when Ella asked "Why can't we watch the tournament?" Madame Bisset said that women shouldn't watch things like fighting. She was there to "beautify the tournament". Another example is when she asked "How is Lord Reston?" Madame Bisset just said that she is not to worry and that his illness was not to be discussed with her. Ella was mad because no one would tell her what had append to him.
This is a funny book that is full of excitement that will make the reader never want to put it down. I would recommend this book to ages nine and up.
C.Chapman
Summary of Just Ella (Aladdin Fantasy)
It's a familiar story: In spite of the obstacles put in her way by her wicked stepmother, Ella goes to the ball, sweeps Prince Charming off his feet, and is chosen to be his bride. Now she's comfortably ensconced in the palace, awaiting marriage to the man of her dreams. It's happily ever after time, right?Wrong! Life for Ella has become an endless round of lessons and restrictions; even worse, Prince Charming turns out to be more like Prince Boring. Why can't she talk with him the way she can with Jed, her earnest young tutor?
Slowly, Ella comes to realize she doesn't want the life she fought so hard to win. But breaking her engagement proves more difficult -- and dangerous -- than escaping her stepmother's tyranny.
In Just Ella, Margaret Peterson Haddix puts a spin on the traditional tale of the glass slippers. In her version, Ella (sans "Cinder") finds her own way to the ball (there was no fairy godmother, despite the rumors) and wins the heart of the prince. But now she is finding that life at the palace as Prince Charming's betrothed is not as great as she thought it was going to be. In fact, it's downright boring for a self-reliant and active girl to do needlework all day or listen to instructions on court etiquette from the strict and cold Madame Bisset. Worst of all, Ella is beginning to suspect that Charming's beautiful blue eyes and golden hair are attached to a head with nothing in it. Her young tutor Jed, however, talks with her about serious things that really matter. Ella finally gets up the courage to announce to Charming that she doesn't want to go through with the wedding, but when she finds herself locked in the dungeon she realizes it's not that easy to walk away from a politically arranged marriage. In the end, as in all good fairy tales, our heroine and hero do manage to live happily ever after--but with a twist.
Fairy tale retellings are an entrancing form of young adult fiction, as they add psychological insight and turn events around for a surprising contemporary angle. Teens who enjoy this delightful revamping of an age-old story may also enjoy Donna Jo Napoli's Spinners and Zel or the Newbery Honor book Ella Enchanted, by Gail Levine. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell
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