Cinderhazel, The Cinderella of Halloween by Deborah Nourse Lattimore

Hazel is a delightful young witch who earns the name Cinderhazel because she loves to be filthy. She is constantly teased by her very clean stepmother and stepsisters who think she is disgusting. One night, her stepmother and stepsisters go to the Witches Halloween Ball but tell Cinderhazel she cannot go because she is so messy she would make them look bad. Cinderhazel attends the ball with the help of her witchy godmother and wins the heart of yucky Prince Alarming who loves to be dirty almost as much as Hazel does. This is a wonderful book to read to your fourth grade class for Halloween. It is also a great read-aloud for comparing with the traditional folklore versions of Cinderella. The lively paintings truly enhance the humor and give the story a magical touch. This book also teaches a lesson in appreciating those who may be different from ourselves or who "go against the flow". It is so important that we teach our students to respect people from all different backgrounds and cultures.