In this tasty riff on the classic story, Cinderelliot is a young man who loves to bake, but is stuck doing so for his demanding and ungrateful stepsister and stepbrother. When Prince Samuel announces a baking competition to choose a new palace baker and “win a place in the prince’s heart and home,” Cinderelliot’s stepsiblings insist he make them pastries they can pass off as their own.
Cinderelliot, covered in batter, is left at home, until the magical arrival of Ludwig, his fairy godfather (in a purple plaid suit and pink shirt), who magically helps him prepare himself and a cake to take to the palace. Ludwig sends him off with a “You go, girl!” and a warning to be home by midnight.
When Cinderelliot presents his cake to Prince Samuel, they bond over their shared love of chocolate and gaze into each other’s eyes … only for the clock to begin striking 12. Cinderelliot rushes off, leaving his chef’s hat behind.
You know how this goes (sort of). The prince tries to find the person who fits the hat, and it turns out to be Cinderelliot. The prince had found his baker, and the two men found love. Cinderelliot baked the cake for their wedding, “And they lived scrumptiously ever after.”
Authors Mark Ceilley and Rachel Smoka-Richardson keep the dialogue punchy and fun, while Stephanie Laberis’ illustrations are lively and expressive. Although the plot doesn’t stray too far from the original, that’s part of the appeal (though one might wish that stepsiblings someday get portrayed positively). Aside from the gender-swapping of the characters, the creators also update the racial/ethnic diversity of the story. Cinderelliot and his stepsiblings are White, while Prince Samuel has dark skin and wavy black hair. Members of the court have a variety of skin tones.
A delightful story for kids—but would even make a great gift for adult fans of baking and baking TV shows!
