The Orphan

Synopsis: "With all her might, the orphan forced herself forward, leaving one of her shoes behind."

Once upon a time in Greece, fate left a young girl an orphan. Her stepmother was so hateful that she counted every drop of water the orphan drank! But with the help of Nature's blessings, the orphan was showered with gifts: brilliance from the Sun, beauty from the Moon, gracefulness from the Dawn-and even a tiny pair of blue shoes from the Sea. When the prince comes to visit their village, he only has eyes for the mysterious beauty. Children will love this fanciful folk retelling of the Cinderella story, accompanied by luminous watercolor illustrations by Giselle Potter.

Autobiography: Anthony L. Manna has worked with children in drama and storytelling, has been an actor and a janitor, and has taught at universities in Turkey, Greece, and the United States. He divides his time between Ohio and Arizona. Soula Mitakidou grew up in northern Greece, and storytelling was an important part of her family's traditions. She lives in Thessaloniki, Greece, where she is a retired professor at Aristotle University.