Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Happily Ever After Ending. Full of Challenges. 
Bitter Sweet. Survival. Romance.

Ella (Anne Hathaway) and Prince Char (Hugh Dancy)
from Ella Enchanted the Movie.

Ella Enchanted

Written by Gail Carson Levine.

Published by Harper Collins Publishers, 1997.

From Publishers Weekly
This lighthearted fantasy and recent Newbery Honor book re-invents the Cinderella story. "A winning combination of memorable characters and an alluring fantasy realm," said PW in a starred review. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

“As finely designed as a tapestry, with a heroine so spirited that she wins readers’ hearts.”
— ALA Booklist (Starred Review)

"This refreshing take on one of the world's most popular fairy tales preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female lead." -The Kirkus Reviews

Newbery Honor Book
California Young Reader Medal
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (Vermont)
Iowa Teen Award
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
Arizona Young Readers’ Award
Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana)
ALA Notable Children’s Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Maine Student Book Award
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award (Illinois)
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice
IRA/CBC Young Adults’ Choice
Publishers Weekly Best Book
California Young Reader Medal
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (Vermont)
Iowa Teen Award
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
Arizona Young Readers’ Award
Young Hoosier Book Award (Indiana)
ALA Notable Children’s Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Maine Student Book Award
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award (Illinois)
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice
IRA/CBC Young Adults’ Choice
Publishers Weekly Best Book

When Ella of Frell was born, she had the presence of a fairy godmother. Usually, having a fairy godmother at these wonderful occasions is special and honorable. However, Lucinda, Ella’s fairy godmother, was not a fairy that you want near. Lucinda believes that she bestows magnificent and heartwarming gifts to families and people she meets; though they are not gifts, they are curses. When she heard Ella cry “inconsolably through [her] first hour of life,” she gave Ella the gift of obedience and having this gift, Ella will obey (Levine, 1997). Growing up with this horrible and life-threatening lifestyle, Ella must obey all orders that people say or give to her. Even if it means to STOP running from human eating ogres, TELL a friend that she can no longer be friends, or GIVE away a precious heirloom, she must complete the task even if it hurts the people she loves or if it puts herself in danger. What must Ella do to get rid of this dreadful curse? Who must she find and whom will she encounter during her journey? Readers will enjoy this magnificent story about a young girl who explores to find her inner strength, travels distances to find answers, experiences true love, meets her true self, and overall, live happily ever after...

Extras: Included this is novel is brief summary of the novel so that students or teachers can sense what the book will be about, a biography of the author, which talks about Ella Enchanted being her first novel, and on the back cover, there are reviews from Karen Cushman and Sarah Creech, both Newbury Medal winners, and the Kirkus Reviews.

Literary Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy

Reading Level: Lexile Framework 670L, Grade 5

Suggested Delivery: Independent Read
ISBN-13: 978-0375858475

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Teachers... Here are some resources to help 

you teach Ella Enchanted!

Electronic Resources:

Author's Site: Gail Carson Levine - This resource is a great link for teachers or students to review. Included in the source is a biography of the author and how she became a writer today, a variety of books that she written, a blog that she posts daily, news about her books and writing, how to meet Levine in person at school, conference, or a summer workshop, videos of the author at a bookshop, the ability to buy her books, provides links to picture and fairy tale books as well, and a guestbook where anyone could share their thoughts and comments about her books or how wonderful of an author she is. Great for students and teachers to review before, or after reading, especially to learn more about the author and if students are interested in reading other types of books from this same author.

A Reading Guide to Ella Enchanted - This is a great resource especially for teachers who are looking for activities for a lesson plan with this book. Included in the reading guide are a biography of the author, the thought and writing process of Ella Enchanted, interview from the author, discussion questions for each chapter, theme discussions, activities to develp the setting/time and place of the story, reviews about the book, glossary, related reading and many more activities.

Another Reading Guide for Ella Enchanted - This is another great teacher resource for educators who may not have a lesson plan or activity organized. Included in reading guide are a summary of the book, discussion questions for whole or small group activity, links to the author's website and biography, interviews with the author, essays pertaining to the novel, reading guides, and many more.

Scholastic: Ella Enchanted Resources - Another great source for educators as it includes free teaching resources, which are links to an Ella Enchanted discussion guide, Ella Enchanted extension activity, and Ella Enchanted lesson plan. Teachers could also view the interest level of this book, the reading level, genre, and the theme/subject it pertains to.

Discovering Fairy Tales - This link is an informational link that could be view by students or teachers. Primarily students because it describes what fairy tales, myths, and folktales are and how they were first developed or written. Great to review before reading as a way to engage or interest students or to tap student's prior knowledge.

Teacher's Guide for Myths, Folktales & Fairy Tales - This is a great source for teachers when educating about the genre: myths, folktales and fairy tales. It ties in with Ella Enchanted because this story is considered to be a fairy tale/fantasy. Included in this website is how to teach this genre in different grade levels, assesments and evaluation, how it meets the national standards, description and objectives, how to set the classroom to perform this activity, additonal resources, and related reading.

Key Vocabulary: oaf, mince, donned, bailiff, menagerie, ferocity, morsel, haughty, disdainful, punctual, deprived, remnants, embroidery, impertinence, plaited, stupor, epithets, carpetbag, condescension, odious, malice, acquit, paltry, askew, besotted, cotillion, obstinate, scullery, pantomimed, gaily, incantations, gavotte, chicanery

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text to explore the difference between reality and fantasy.
2. Use this text to compare and contrast a variety of stories that have the Cinderella theme and discuss how Ella Enchanted is considered a Cinderella theme story.
3. Use this text in Social Studies to research when the period or time the story is written. Have students use the cover of the text to make their prediction or observe how the language in the story is written, i.e. have students look at the vocabulary: king, queen, knight, prince, manor, dame, innkeeper, finishing school, cotillion, maiden, majesty, happily ever after, princesses, etc.
4. Use this text to discuss the structure of the Royal Family or any family that is royalty. What is the hierarchy or line of succession to the throne?
5. Use this text in history to discover how ogres, gnomes, fairy godmother, fairies, centaurs, and other fairy tale creatures were established.

Comprehension Strategies:

• Before Reading: 

• Introduce to students the type of genre, which will be fantasy or fairy tales, that they will be reading. Ask students if they ever read any books about fantasy or fairy tales and discuss with students elements and characteristics that are included in this type of story. Also have students discuss the type of stories that they read that relate to this genre. If students are unsure what tales are, provide student examples of fairy tales. This will have students brainstorm and tap into their prior knowledge. Some fairy tale examples that you could relate to your students are Cinderella, Gingerbread, Shrek, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, or the British couple that could be compared/described as a modern fairy tale: Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton.
• Discuss the meaning of the word "obedient." Ask students what they believe the word obedient means and discuss the word in many contexts by providing examples in sentences or actions. Have students make text-to-self connections if they ever have to obey orders and if they did, were they praised for it? Or if they did not obey orders, what were the consequences? Also, ask students where they have to obey orders such as in schools, military, parents, etc. Who else obey orders or do all people obey orders such as the President? Who does he takes orders from?
• During Reading: 
• Examine the relationship between Ella and her father or Ella and her mother. Who was more of a parent to Ella and why? How are Ella and her father alike and how are they different and vice versa with the mother. Have students use examples from the book to provide support and use a comparison chart to develop these ideas.
• Provide students a set of discussion questions, while they are reading, that will evaluate student's literal and inferential comprehension.
• Some examples of these questions could be:
• Why was Ella given the obedience curse?
• Why does Ella's father want her to go to finishing school? Why does Ella refuse?
• What did Ella's father mean "Dame Olga is titled and rich" on page 31?
• What does Ella's father do for a living or as an occupation or job?
• Why must Ella not tell anyone of her curse? What is her curse?
• What is bogweed and why did she place it in Hattie's bouquet when they were in the garden? What was the purpose and how did she know it was bogweed?
• Why does Hattie admire Ella and why does Ella not admire Hattie?
• Why must Ella find Lucinda?
• Why did Ella take Hattie's wig?
• Why do you think Hattie is torturing Ella? Is it considered torturing or playful?
• How did Prince Char and his knights fight the ogres without being cast under their spell?
• How did Ella tame the Ogres?
• What were some challenges that Ella had to face reaching Uaaxee's house?
• What examples from the story tell you that Prince Char is fond of Ella?
• Why does Lucinda think her gifts are a blessing? What do the characters really think of them? 
• Why won't Lucinda help Ella take her gift away?
• Who is Lela?
• How did Ella break her curse?
• After Reading: 



Ella Enchanted, the movie starring
Anne Hathaway as Ella.

• Have students watch the Disney movie Ella Enchanted. After watching the movie, have students compare and contrast the movie with the novel, using a Venn Diagram or T-Chart, that they just finished reading. Ask students if the plot of the movie was similar or dissimilar to the story. What events or parts of the movie was similar or dissimilar? What about the characters and setting? Was the dialogue the same as well? Why do you think some parts were not the same? This is a great way to evaluate student's ability to compare and contrast a story that is depicted in different media and to assess if students understood the story's main ideas, plot, etc.
• Divide students into small groups, where students will participate in a Professor-Know-It-All activity, in which they will share everything that they learned after reading the novel to the group. Before introducing this activity, make sure that you model how to do a Professor-Know-It-All so that students understand the goals and procedure, and how to fully gain the most knowledge from this strategy.

Student Writing Activity:

• Have students write an alternate ending or sequel for the story. This will boost student's writing skills and the ability to use their creativity.
• Have students create an Acrostic Poem for the heroine, Ella.
• Have students create a WANTED poster for Lucinda. Ask students why she is WANTED and what they will reward to the person who finds her. Have students draw a picture of Lucinda, based on descriptions and how they perceive Lucinda in the book. Make sure students are using the currency that the novel is using as well.

Levine, G. C. (1997). Ella enchanted. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers.