Cindy Ella, Robin Palmer

Palmer, Robin. (2008).
Cindy Ella.
New York: Puffin.
9780142403921
Genre: Realistic fiction, Chick-Lit

Sophomore Cindy Gold writes an anti-prom letter to the school newpaper, but as she develops crushes on various boys, she begins to question her convictions.
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Cindy Ella Gold lives in L.A. and although her family has money, Cindy Ella doesn’t like to shop. She has a cosmetically altered stepmother, popular twin stepsisters (the Clones), a younger stepbrother and father-all of which she gets along with even though her name causes everyone to link her a fairytale princess. When Cindy Ella writes an anti-prom letter to the school paper, she creates an uproar among the student body and instructors! It seems her best friends Malcolm and India are the only ones who get Cindy Ella. But when her two best friends go to prom, long time chat-buddy Bklyn Boy seems to be Cindy Ella’s only confidante. Cindy Ella is a clumsy, blundering, likeable girl who believes strongly in her convictions. Readers will relate to her inner voice and her intense unrequited crushes. But when she confides in her chat-buddy on prom night, she gets a shocking surprise which will inspire readers to cheer her on. Palmer’s modern interpretation of the classic fairytale lacks any of the fantasy (no godmother, no mice, or pumpkins!), and readers will enjoy it all the more for it.