This book made my heart melt. It tells the story of Cinderella in the form of a young girl who is in a wheelchair. She does all the things as the typical Cinderella does, but she does it in a wheelchair. To me, this story shows young girls that princesses come in all shapes, forms, and sizes. The author of this story did the right thing by writing this book. I’m sure this book has built up a lot of young girls confidence. ( )

“Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair” by Jewel Kats (illustrated by Richa Kinra) is a delightful book for children. In this version, Cinderella is in a wheelchair. Does that stop her from going to the ball and winning the heart of the prince? No way! Jewel Kats has given a modern twist to this old tale. Cinderella is in a wheelchair, but that isn’t the focus of the story. The wheelchair is just a part of the story. Cinderella comes across as a strong, independent woman who actually doesn’t need the prince to have a sense of worth.

I think that this would be a fun story enjoyed by all children. Having a disability doesn’t mean that you can’t do things. Being a girl doesn’t mean you need to be saved by the prince. Ms. Kats reminds us all of that! ( )

Can a person in a wheelchair hope to go to a costume party and lead a normal life? Part of Loving Healing Press’s “Growing with Love” series, this inventive take-off on the old familiar fairy tale has Cinderella, who lives in a Kingdom far, far away, in a wheelchair. The wicked stepmother and stepsisters are there. The King is ill and wants to see his only son married, so there’s going to be a costume party for the Prince to meet all interested women. Of course, the stepsisters are going. The stepmother agrees that Cinderella can go if she manages to create some stunning jewelry for the other girls. So Cinderella helps her stepsisters get ready, and she makes herself a nice, new costume. However, when it’s time to go, the stepsisters claw at Cinderella’s costume, and the stepmother even punctures Cinderella’s wheelchair tire. Will Monique, the student fairy godmother from Enchantment University, be able to do anything for Cinderella? And what will happen to all of Cinderella’s hopes and dreams?
Dedicated to “any child who’s faced an illness, accident or injury,” Cinderella’s Magical Wheelchair lets young people with various disabilities know that they can overcome abuse, use their own abilities to build a new future for themselves, and find love that goes beyond mere physical attraction. Author Jewel Kats, who also wrote Reena’s Bollywood Dream, a sensitive book about sexual abuse by a relative, knows whereof she speaks. At the age of nine, she endured a car accident which altered her physical abilities forever. After weeks in the hospital and eight leg surgeries, she currently walks with a cane, which is fashionably handpainted, but nothing stops her. Like Jewel, this Cinderella learns to work hard at making her own “they lived happily ever after” ending to the story. Illustrator Richa Kinra’s eye-catching painted work is primarily in water colors, acrylics, and oils, but sometimes incorporates colored pencil, dry colors, pen and ink, or collage. This is a cute and heart-warming tale that will appeal to everyone, especially children with disabilities who now have a Cinderella with whom they can relate. ( )