Yeh-Hsien: A Chinese Cinderella

Yeh-hsien has only one friend, a beautiful red fish, who she visits every day. Unfortunately, her cruel stepmother tricks the fish and kills it out of spite. However, the fish’s bones magically allow Yeh-hsien to make and receive wishes, including to attend a large festival, which alters the course of her life.

Although I am not the hugest fan of fairytales, it was interesting to read another variation of the Cinderella story. Despite cultural differences in the details, there’s more of a common throughline than not. The writing was evocative, and I could very nearly smell the food fragrances at the festival. The illustrations are also compelling to look at, with lots of bright colors. This edition is written in both Cantonese and show more English, making it accessible to many readers. show less

Reviewed on my blog here: https://grtlyblesd.blogspot.com/2018/01/yeh-hsien-chinese-cinderella.html