Where fairy tales meet ballet dreams―welcome to Ella Bella's magical theater. Ella Bella loves her ballet class, which is conducted by the kindly Madame Rosa at an old theatre that seems touched by magic. One day, when Ella loses one of her slippers, Madame Rosa lends her another pair for dancing―and is then reminded of Cinderella and her story of the lost slipper. Madame Rosa recounts Cinderella's tale to her students, and Ella Bella listens with great interest. When their day's lesson has ended Ella lingers in the theatre, then opens Madame Rosa's music box and listens as it plays melodies from the Cinderella ballet. Suddenly, Cinderella's fairy godmother magically appears, and Ella Bella is transported into the beloved story of Cinderella. For every young dancer or dreamer, Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella offers a spellbinding blend of classic storytelling, exquisite illustration, and inspiration drawn from the beloved Cinderella ballet. Ideal for children ages 4–8 and anyone enchanted by dance, this acclaimed picture book celebrates the joy of imagination, the magic of music, and the hope at the heart of every fairy tale. "Mayhew's sweetly imaginative heroine returns, brought to life in lively paint and ink illustrations. . . . A whimsical romp for ballet lovers." --Publisher's Weekly "The ballet as Prokofiev imagined it, plus the addition of Ella Bella, makes for inventive and fun fairytale reading." --Asheville Citizen-Times James Mayhew was born in Blundeston, a village in Suffolk, England, and now lives with his wife and son in Letchworth Garden City, England. The author and illustrator of many popular children's books, he is also the author of Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty, also available from B.E.S..