The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story Book

"Ah little one, I shall never marry, for stepmothers are often too jealous of another's child" is said by Maha's father on one of the first few pages of The Golden Sandal. This sentence represents a common theme seen throughout many versions of Cinderella, and The Golden Sandal is no different. This is a Middle Eastern version of this traditional story. Maha's father marries a women, who is referred to as "the stepmother" throughout the text, and treats Maha poorly throughout the book. One day Maha spares a little red fish's life, and he tells her, if she is ever in need, to come back to the river to see him. Maha goes to the river throughout the book to seek help when the stepmother treated her poorly, and to have a chance to go to the henna, a large wedding party, being held by a wealthy family. This text includes themes such as the importance of kindness, hard work, and patience.

This text includes many similar events and themes as the traditional Cinderella tale. The author included a note in the back of the text, explaining that his version came from Arabic versions of this story. This text includes information on the Middle Eastern culture, and would give students an opportunity to learn about events, such as hennas. This book would be ideal for younger elementary students, such as 1st and 2nd graders. In addition, the illustrations were done on vellum and copied in a traditional Islamic style. This book could be used to reinforce the importance of hard work and kindness, or to compare and contrast different versions of Cinderella. Students will enjoy the familiar tale, with a few new and exciting differences.