Plot Summary from Amazon:  Sixth grade is not going well for Calliope Meadow Anderson. Callie’s hair is frizzy, her best friend, Ellen, is acting weird, and to top things off, she has to get glasses. And her new specs aren’t even cute, trendy glasses—more like hideously large and geeky. But Callie soon discovers that her glasses have a special, magical perk: When she wears them, she can read people’s thoughts. Crazy glasses aside, Callie has more drama to face when she’s cast as the lead in the school play—and instead opts to be an understudy, giving the role of Cinderella to Ellen. Can Callie’s magic glasses help her see her way to leading lady, or is she destined to stay in the background forever?

Prior to starting Seeing Cinderella, I didn’t give much thought to the age of the main character.  I saw “magic glasses” and “she can read people’s thoughts” and said to myself –  “I’M SO IN!”  And then I started reading and felt so silly reading a book about a 6th grader.  But I didn’t want to stop.


This book is well done and thoughtfully (and tastefully – given that it’s for like 4th – 7th graders to read) done.  You cannot help to be transported back to that age.  To the excitement and nervousness and the days full of self-confidence issues.  I mean, for me, that’s like my normal Tuesday.  I think a lot of us still have the same struggles, just in a more – hopefully – grown up world.  I mean if you still get worried when a friend starts hanging out with another friend – there may be some deeper issues there.


The story is funny and original.  Callie goes to the eye doctor who is wearing these hideous glasses and on her way out of the office she is thinking all these terrible things about herself when suddenly the doctor stops her and says while they are waiting for her glasses to come in she should take this spare pair they have in the office – shhhh….  they’re really HIS glasses.

Amazingly, when she has them on she can read peoples’ thoughts.  What her best friend really thinks of her.  What her crush has going on in his mind.  What really happened in her parents marriage and why it seems like dad isn’t coming home.

The lessons are clear:  As much as you think everyone is against or or that your problems are huge, everyone has them.  Most people have them worse than you.  And that sometimes being nice to someone is the very thing that person may need in that moment.   Callie learns that people change and that’s ok.

The only thing I did not like was a certain lesson on body image and that being thin will help you be popular and help people like you.  It was a small side thing for one of the side characters, but it was still there and it rankled me.  But if I had a daughter, I’d have no problem with her reading this book.  In fact, I would encourage her to.

Twilight?  No.   Seeing Cinderella?  Absolutely.