Reviews

The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin, David Shannon

djinnia's review against another edition

4.0

I love Cinderella stories no matter where they come from, and I loved this one. The illustrator did a fantastic job.

unicorngirl's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The Rough-Face Girl is an American Indian retelling of Cinderella. There is an Invisible Being that girls lie about seeing so they can marry him. But no one has seen him, except for his sister. Until a girl whose face is rough from fire embers who is considered "ugly," actually sees him. They get married, and it's happily ever after. Not very unique, but a nice retelling. 2.75 stars. I wouldn't recommend it.

hldillon's review against another edition

5.0

I enjoyed reading this Cinderella variation. The Rough-Face girl has to put up with the cruel chores her sisters tell her to do, but she realizes that being beautiful on the outside is not all that it is cracked up to be. True beauty comes from the inside. When the Invisible Being (the one who all the girls want to marry), realizes that the Rough-Face girl can see him, he makes her beautiful inside and out at the very end.

Written by Rafe Martin
Illustrated by David Shannon
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons

mariahroze's review against another edition

4.0

My students and I read this book and instantly connected it to Cinderella. The students enjoyed the story and found it interesting.

"This moving adaptation of the classic children's story Cinderella tells how a disfigured Algonquin girl wins the heart of a mysterious being who lives by the lake near her village.
The powerful Invisible Being is looking for a wife, and all the girls in the village vie for his affections. But only the girl who proves she can see him will be his bride. The two beautiful but spoiled daughters of a poor village man try their best to be chosen, but it is their Rough-Face-Girl sister, scarred on her face and arms from tending fires, who sees the Invisible Being in the wonder of the natural world."

a_manning11's review against another edition

5.0

This is an amazing Native American tale, an Algonquin story similar to Cinderella. Together with the beautiful atmospheric illustrations this book is inspiring.

Illustrated by David Shannon.

froydis's review against another edition

5.0

A really beautiful book!

mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition

3.0

Good enough writing and art. But I just don't buy the basic premise of the book. Marrying the Invisible Being who is apparently an actual being. If in the end our heroine who became a Medicine Woman and a great leader, married to no one, that would have pleased me more. And this attempt at placing Cinderella into this specific Native American world just felt flat and sketchy. So not a bad book, just not a good one.

bookswithbets's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

charj05's review against another edition

5.0

This is one of my childhood favorites! A beautiful story similar to Cinderella.

jazzrj's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0