ALA Booklist (Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

Mayhew, who created the Katie series of picture books, in which a girl magically climbs into famous paintings, now offers his second picture book in which Ella Bella is introduced to a ballet. When she arrives at her ballet class, Ella Bella finds that she has lost a shoe. Kind Madame Rosa lends her another pair, tells the students about the ballet Cinderella, and lets them dance to the music. After class, Ella Bella magically enters into the ballet, where she finds Cinderella weeping at her hearth, accompanies her to the ball, and leads the prince to his beloved for the happy ending. Madame Rosa reappears, and Ella Bella cheerfully goes home. The illustrations k drawings with pleasant, textured washes in pastel colors e particularly effective in the dramatic, dreamlike dance sequences. There's no real tension in Ella Bella's story, but young children with an interest in ballet will find this a brief, agreeable introduction to Prokofiev's ballet, which is discussed in an appended note.

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

The last time we met Ella Bella she was part of the ballet Sleeping Beauty. In this companion book, the magical music box whirls Ella Bella into Cinderella's world, where she dances at the Royal Ball and assists in bringing about the happily-ever-after ending. Surrounded by ample white space, Mayhew's delicate illustrations help move the less-than-inspired tale along.

Kirkus Reviews

Mayhew's pint-sized ballerina returns to explore another famous ballet ( Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty, 2008). When Ella misplaces a ballet slipper prior to class, she borrows a pair from Madame Rosa. Inspired by a combination of Madame's retelling of Cinderella's tale and the mesmerizing melodies of Madame's unique music box, Ella lingers after class concludes to continue dancing. With the arrival of Cinderella's fairy godmother, Ella soon finds herself instrumental in achieving Cinderella's happy ending. The author's rendition includes elements from Prokofiev's ballet that fans of the animated cinematic version may not know, such as The Fairies of the Four Seasons and a pair of magic shoes rather than the iconic glass slippers. His elegant line drawings coupled with abundant application of colors ranging from delicate pastels to deeper, more vibrant hues deftly convey the ethereal quality of the tale. Readers will enjoy spotting the parallels between Ella's and Cinderella's tales. (Picture book. 4-8)