I am not sure what it was about this one, but ti did not really resonate with me. I do believe it will work for some readers, though.

My kids really liked this one, and we bought a copy for our library.

ARC from the publisher via NetGalley, but the opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

"Cinderella Speaks Up" is a charming and untraditional graphic novel that puts a fresh spin on the classic Cinderella tale. The story delivers an important lesson on self-empowerment and the value of standing up for what's right, all while defying traditional fairy tale narratives. The artwork adds an extra layer of fun to the narrative, making it an engaging and visually appealing read. While Kaita's strong and kind character shines, it's refreshing to see young readers presented with a message that encourages speaking up and taking control of one's destiny. "Cinderella Speaks Up" is a delightful and quick read, perfect for middle-grade readers, and offers an alternative perspective on the power of self-expression within a classic story. Thanks you to Capstone and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this novel.
Such a great story with defined characters and a great plot.
What drew me in the most was how fleshed out the characters were
The writing style was fluid and relateable.
The cover was fascinating as well.
A reviting read overall
Definitely recommend adding this to your TBR!

“Cinderella Speaks Up: An Untraditional Graphic Novel“ by Mari Bolte with illustrations by Brendin Howellert and Braden Hallett is a graphic novel in the I Fell into a Fairy Tale series.

When Kaita falls into the book Cinderella, she’s not impressed. She sees Cinderella getting pushed around a lot by her stepmother and stepsisters. She also wonders how you can be so involved with a prince you’ve only met once. Kaita sets out to set things straight.

This is a fun lesson on speaking up for yourself. I like the idea of subverting fairy tales to get these ideas across. The art is fun too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Capstone Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel. This is a great graphic novel if you enjoy a short modern take on a fairy tale but with an active audience member. I would recommend this for middle schoolers who need guided reading (and maybe even for my typical articulation speech students) but it all depends. Overall though I would recommend this, and I love the art. 4-4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for approving me for this title! However, I unfortunately was unable to download/read this book prior to it being archived on Netgalley. I hope to read and review this book on my own soon, and hope to read other books from this author and publisher. Thanks again!

I think maybe this takes modernizing fairy tales a bit too far. Admittedly, Cinderella is not an especially empoered character. But I am frustrated by books where an elevated character comes in and sets everyone straight. Cinderella doesn't figure out how to speak up for herself - our protagonist comes in and bullies her into it. She "fixes" everyone, forces them to acknowledge their insecurities that make them cruel, that sort of thing.

Thank you Netgalley and Capstone, Stone Arch Books for my copy of Cinderella Speaks Up!

This graphic novel was extremely cute and a delightful read that presented unorthodox methods on how a young girl speaks up for another.

While I loved the imagery and message the graphic novel gives, I also thought that the character portraying Cinderella needed to be able to speak up for herself instead of having Kaita to it for her throughout the book.

Kaita presents as a strong and kind character who knows right from wrong and finds unjustice to be motivated out of jealousy or self-hatred.

This is a fun and quick read for middle grade.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

This fun Early Reader/Middle Grade book modernizes the classic Cinderella story in a bright and colourful graphic novel. While it is technically not a chapter book/novel, I could see young middle grade readers gravitating towards this book because of the colourful illustrations, graphic novel style and familiar yet recreated story. With writing/discussion prompts at the end that discuss bullying and kindness, this book gives readers opportunities to extend their comprehension and understanding of the text after reading. The font is fairly large and accessible, there are only a few boxes per page so the speech bubbles are a nice size and the font is not crowded, making it a great option for readers looking to move away from picture books and into something closer to a novel. I could definitely see my grade 3 students enjoying this book and would love to see my like it in the future! Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this awesome new book!

I didn't know what to expect but this is an awesome retelling of Cinderella. This is a great early reader book to help kids with their self-esteem. Kaita loves the library and Cinderella is her favorite book of all-time. When it falls to floor and opens Kaita doesn't hesitate to see what adventures the book leads her. Once she meets Cinderella, she helps her with her confidence just in time to meet the Prince.

There was not a lot to this story, even with it being in a grapni nocel form. It was just so-so, nothing special. Honestly, it is forgettable.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

Cinderella Speaks Up by Mari Bolte is a short, light-hearted kids comic story about a modern themed Cinderella retelling. A young girl gets transported in to the Cinderella story in the library and she helps Cinderella stand up for herself.

All in all this was a fine quick morality lesson for kids, nothing really wrong with it, but it was really short. I think it will work well for the ages I'm sure it's geared towards. With easy illustrations and not a lot of words, it could easily work for new readers. Basic, feel good story.

I'm a big fan of the Cinderella story and its many versions and when I find out about Cinderella Speaks Up by Mari Bolte, I really wanted to read it. In Cinderella Speaks Up it seems to marry what I love about the traditional fairy tale and includes things I always wanted to change to bring it into the 21st Century. Cinderella Speaks Up is in graphic novel format, which is different than I usually read; but I thought it was a great fit for the story. I highly recommend Cinderella Speaks Up by Mari Bolte. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My review is also on Goodreads.

A very modern and up-to-date take on the classic story that shows that fairy tales, as we know them, don’t work today anymore. I still didn‘t really like it or found it suitable to address these issues. A pro are the discussion questions at the end of the book but I prefer other stories to teach in my lessons. An entertaining read nonetheless.

Okay, this was just fantastic. I thought this was so brilliant. I especially love when quite literally anything, specifically involving younger kids, mentions therapy as it really helps to break down the stigma surrounding it. And she helps so many people! NOT just Cinderella! I love that. But it's realistic help. It's not fairy-godmother-magic-wand type help. And I loved the guided questions at the end. They were so great!

I enjoyed this Cinderella retelling. For all the years I've watched Cinderella, I've always screamed in my mind, “say something; stand up for yourself”. Gladly this book did just that.

A unique look at the story of "Cinderella". Kaita falls into the story and questions aspects of it, helping to reframe the perspectives. A great story for early readers to learn about thinking for themselves. The story was clear to follow and the illustrations popped. Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was a really cute retelling of Cinderella. We follow our main character Kaita, as she gets pulled into the book Cinderella. She helps Cinderella clean and stand up to her dad and stepmom. Kaita, more importantly, helps Cinderella become more confident and no longer afraid to speak up.

This was a really cute retelling of a classic story. It was very short though. At only 33 pages I found myself wanting just a little bit more from the story. The artwork and colors were very nice though. Overall, if you're a fan of modern fairy tale retellings, then check this one out!