Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted By Gail Carson Levine is probably my most frequently read book. I first read it in fourth grade, and I can't even tell you how many times I've read it since then.

Ella Enchanted is a retelling of the Grimm fairy tale, Cinderella. I know there are a lot of fairy tale retellings, but this is one I highly recommend!

When she was born, Ella would not stop crying so Lucinda, a fairy who was at Ella's birth, gives Ella a "gift".

"My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient"

Immediately, Ella's mother and fairy godmother beg Lucinda to take away the curse, but she won't. Ella must either accept her obedience for the rest of her life, or find a way to break the curse herself.

Levine takes Ella, along with the reader, through meeting with her evil stepmother and stepsisters, through finishing school, escaping from finishing school, a giant's wedding, and many other adventures!

Ella's character is witty, sarcastic and clever; she is always finding ways to dodge the fairy's curse and fend for herself. I love Ella because she isn't the typical locked-away-in-a-tower princess expecting prince charming to come along. There is (of course) a prince for Ella, Prince Charmont, also referred to as "Char." Char is a generous prince, and one of Ella's best friends from the moment they meet. Ella and Char are always bantering back and forth, trying to make the other laugh; this makes the reader laugh in response.

I can't recommend this book highly enough! It is a great read, not too difficult, and like any good fairy tale, it ends with a "happily ever after."

To give you a taste of Ella Enchanted, here is a passage taken from the beginning:

"Instead of making me docile, Lucinda's curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally.

Mother rarely insisted I do anything. Father knew nothing of the curse and saw me too infrequently to issue many commands. But Mandy was bossy, giving orders almost ass often as she drew breath. Kind orders or for-your-own-good orders. 'Bundle up, Ella.' Or 'Hold this bowl while I beat the eggs, sweet.'

I disliked these commands, harmless as they were. I'd hold the bowl, but move my feet so she would have to follow me around the kitchen. She'd call me minx and try to hem me in with more specific instructions, which I would find new ways to evade. Often, it was a long business to get anything done between us, with Mother laughing and egging each of us on by turn."

As I said before, it's a great book, and if you are looking for an easy, entertaining read, consider Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine for the role!

On Reading... One Time or Several?

I work in a bookstore. As a bookseller, I get the chance to talk to some interesting people. A few weeks ago, a lady came in and bought a few books I have read. As I was ringing her up, I made the comment "Oh, I love these! I've read them probably a million times!" The lady looked at me as if I were crazy and replied "Oh, I never read books more than once. Why bother? I already know how the story is going to end."

This conversation was shocking to me! First of all, why would you buy a book if it is only going to be read once? Wouldn't the library be an easier (not to mention cheaper) method? Second, is that REALLY why you read a book? Just to find out how it ends? For me, that's not the case. Of course I want to know that everything is going to work out in the end, and I am a sucker for a "happily ever after" ending, but I love stepping into the world of a novel, meeting the characters, and enjoying the writing style of the author. If I love a fictional world, I want to experience it as many times as possible! Which of course means reading a book multiple times.

I'm not saying either method is better; after all, I probably miss out on a lot of great books because I re-read old favorites occasionally, but my method works for me.

What about you? Do you read books once, ten times, a undred times, as many times as you feel inclined? And why?