ALA Booklist

Climo adds to her series of multicultural Cinderella books (The Korean Cinderella 1993), once again choosing a version of the traditional story authentic to the culture. Here, the main character is named Settareh, and she has a star on her cheek. Instead of a fairy godmother, she has a pari (a kind of fairy) who lives in a blue jar; but when her jealous stepsisters use the pari against her, Settareh is turned into a turtledove. Persian stories are not as plentiful as those from other cultures, and though the pacing isn't as successful as other versions, the memorable details (such as the thousand matched pearls that shower upon the new couple once the spell is broken) more than make up for it. Florczak's illustrations are stunningly exotic and beautiful, with each fold of clothing, each reflection on a surface, and each leaf on a tree lovingly portrayed. The people look as lifelike as photographs, each face unique. A fine addition for any folktale collection. (Reviewed July 1999)

Horn Book

In this evocative retelling of a story from The Arabian Nights, a fairy in a blue jug supplies Settareh with clothes for the prince's New Year celebration; later, Settareh's stepsisters almost thwart the happy ending by turning her into a turtledove. The hyperrealistic illustrations look artificially posed, but the architectural details and richly colored costumes effectively conjure up the Persian setting.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

"Climo's adaptation of this Arabian Nights myth offers a capricious twist on the Cinderella story," wrote <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">PW. Ages 5-9. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Aug.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4After giving most of her money to a beggar, young Settareh spends her last coins on a cracked, blue jug instead of purchasing fabric for a new dress to wear to the princes celebrations. Resigned to remaining home, she discovers that the pot is inhabited by a pari that is able to grant her every wish. She attends the festival, catches the eye of the prince, leaves behind a diamond ankle bracelet, and is found by the queen. Settareh unwisely reveals the secret of the jug to her stepsisters, who steal it and instruct it to get rid of the young woman. The jug self-destructs, leaving behind six jeweled hairpins that, once placed in Settarehs hair, turn her into a turtledove. When the grieving prince befriends the bird, he finds the pins and pulls them out, thus restoring his beloved. The story is well told, although the drama, and hence the pace, is somewhat subdued. The narrative reads smoothly and majestically and Climo explains her choices in a source note. Florczaks sumptuous illustrations have jewel-like tones that glow against the brownline-paper background, and traditional designs decorate the text. The illustrations are realistic and appealing, although in one scene, Settareh is wearing a blue veil with her face exposed when the text specifies that she and the other women draped themselves in black to conceal their faces. Despite this minor flaw, this is a suitable complement to Climos other Cinderella stories.Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.