Once Before Time: Cinderella Rex | Book Review

Book Review of Once Before Time: Cinderella Rex
The Children’s Book Review

Written by Christy Webster

Illustrated by Holly Hatam

Ages 2-4 | 32 Pages

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing | ISBN: 9781524855161

 What to expect: Dinosaurs, Classic Fairy Tales

Do you have a kiddo who loves princesses and dinosaurs? Cinderella was never so dainty – nor so roartastic! In Once Before Time: Cinderella Rex, dinosaurs and pretty princesses are combined for an exciting adventure.

Children will follow along with the comforting and familiar fairy tale sporting some cute and unique twists (Fairy Triceratops! Stompmother and Stompsisters!). There’s even a hilarious moment where Cinderella Rex’s shoe falls off as she’s running, just like in the original story. But poor Cinderella Rex’s arms are too short to bend over and reach the shoe, so she runs off and leaves it behind for the prince to keep. Eventually, he finds her because she is the best dancer in all the land, and he asks her to come to the castle to teach him to dance. What a happy ending!

With unique and colorful illustrations that are both heartwarming and hilarious, Cinderella Rex will delight little readers and make parents giggle along, too. Cinderella Rex’s combination of golden hair and green lizard skin is especially cute, and the starry night sky throughout most of the book is dazzling and enchanting. The prose is short and sweet, which keeps the story moving along at a great clip for bedtime reading. And with a sturdy board book size that’s perfect for little hands, you won’t have to worry about the book falling apart from children taking the book and examining the pictures up-close!            

A great choice for a bedtime story! Highly recommended, and I can’t wait to read more from the ONCE BEFORE TIME series.

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About the Author

Christy Webster is a children’s book writer and editor who has written over 60 books and stories for young readers. She lives with her husband and at least two cats in Queens, New York, and enjoys spending time at a cabin that can only be reached by canoe.

About the Illustrator

Holly Hatam is a picture book maker, greeting card designer, and a textile engineer. She is also the #1 New York Times Bestselling illustrator of Dear Girl. Her other books include Made by Maxine, Tree Song, Jack (Not Jackie), and The Acadia Files. Holly lives in Whitby, Ontario, where she can be found hugging trees with her husband Stephen and son Linden, stuffing her pantry full of tea, and sticking her nose in a book.

Once Before Time: Cinderella Rex, written by Christy Webster, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like Once Before Time: Cinderella Rex by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Board Book, Cinderella, Dinosaurs, Fairy Tales, and Princesses.