The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin

Bibliography
Martin, Rafe. 1992. The Rough-Face Girl. Ill. David Shannon. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

ISBN: 0-399-21859-9

Summary
The Rough-Face Girl is an Algonquin version of Cinderella. Two mean sisters and one sister, scarred from tending the fire, desire to become the wife of the Invisible Being.

Critical Analysis
The traditional Cinderella folktale is seen in a new light in the Alonquin version, The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin. The likeness of the Alonquin tale to the traditional Cinderella tale is remarkable, however, it is refreshing to have this tale presented from the eyes of a different culture.

Indicative of traditional folktales, the characters are the epitome of good and evil. The youngest sister is the portrayal of the good character. She is forced to tend to the fire, where the popping of the burning branches scars her face, hands, and arms. Her two, older sisters are the evil ones. All three characters are representative of basic human traits, such as beauty, greed, and kindness. For example, the two sisters say to father, "Give us some necklaces. Give us some new buckskin dresses. Give us some pretty beaded moccasins." These two sisters are so greedy they do not share these things with their younger sister. The younger sister is representative of other human qualities. She is full of kindness and beauty.

In traditional folktales, settings are established quickly. In this folktale, the location is established very early in the story. On the second page, a reader understands the story takes place in a village of wigwams. Another common trait of a folktale is the story takes place quickly. In The Rough-Face Girl the story is resolved in a matter of days.

The plot, theme, and style are also indicative of a traditional folktale. For example, the resolution of the story, where the sisters get what they deserve, comes quickly. Additionally, this story has a universal, obvious theme: goodness is rewarded and evil is punished. Of course, the story ends happily, with the scarred girl receiving the love of the Invisible Being and being released of her disfigurements. Certain motifs of traditional folktales is also apparent in this story. The transformation of the scarred sister into a beautiful being is one example. Also, this Native American tale incorporates nature (rainbow and Milky Way) into its story. Nature is a very prominent attribute in the Native American culture.

Illustrator, David Shannon, supports the text through his fascinating paintings. In his pictures, he draws the sisters wearing their buckskin and beads, as referred to in the writing. Shannon also portrays the hurt and despair of the youngest sister through the darkness of the color choices. He draws the Invisible Being through examples of nature. A bird in the sky, leaves on a tree, and distant mountains make up the Invisible Beings face.

The Rough-Face Girl is a superb folktale, eloquently written. Martin does a fine job of expressing the Cinderella tale from the Alonquin perspective, while Shannon incorporates accurate details through his illustrations. The folktale, The Rough-Face Girl, is worth the story.

Review Excerpts
Susan Scheps with School Library Journal states, "Simply, in the words of an oral storyteller, Martin retells an Algonquin folktale. . . [and] is a splendid read-aloud. It is the only single illustrated version available. Shannon's finely crafted full- and double-page acrylic paintings in the rich hues of the earth embody the full flavor of the story. His stunning cover portrait shows at one glance both the girl's beauty and her frightful scars" (1992).

Booklist reports, "Given the beauty of the story, the strength of many of the illustrations, and the current interest in comparing variants of folktales from different cultures, libraries will find this a well-used picture book" (1992).

Connections
Students could compare/contrast other Cinderella versions, such as:
Adelita by Tomie dePaola
The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Yeh-Shen retold by Ai-Ling Louie
Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman

Other stories written by Rafe Martin:
Birdwing
The Brave Little Parrot
The Language of Birds
The Shark God
The Storytelling Princess