Ella

An original take on the Cinderella story, particularly useful for literacy, which features a specs-wearing ladybird who slaves away for her waspish stepsisters Belladonna and Ivy.

In a variation on the traditional story, the stepsisters are invited to a ball by Pierre, a spider and an artist in search of inspiration, but Ella isn’t invited. Nevertheless once they’ve gone she mysteriously receives a beautiful dress and a pair of glittery glasses, and goes to the ball.

In this version it is the glasses which are left behind when Ella leaves the ball, and once she and Pierre are reunited, they inspire a specs and spots fashion – a nice touch for young specs-wearers. Alex T Smith’s illustrations are big, bright, bold, sparkly and funny.