That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. 'My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child.' I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda's gift and feel that she belongs to herself. For how can she truly belong to herself if she knows that at any time, anyone can order her to hop on one foot, cut off her hand, or betray her kingdom--and she'll have to obey? Against a bold tapestry of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella's spirited account of her quest to break the curse is a funny, poignant, and enchanting tale about an unforgettable heroine who is determined to be herself.
670L Lexile|||juvenile
Gail Carson Levine.
Includes bonus materials: A conversation with Gail Carson Levine -- Ella by any other name -- elementary Ella -- the unseen scene -- Gnomic spoken here: the languages of Ella the Enchanted -- an excerpt from The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre.
Accelerated Reader AR MG 4.6 8 17769.
Newbery Honor Book, 1998.
ALA Notable Books for Childlren, 1998.
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 1998
School Library Journal's Best Books, 1997.
Young Hoosier Book Award, 2000
Mark Twain Award nominee, 2000.
Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2000.
Reading Counts RC 3-5 5.1 11.0 3518.
MG Accelerated Reader AR 8.0 4.6 17769.
Accelerated Reader Middle Grade 4.6 8.0 Kilgore Intermediate.
