Ella's Big Chance

Mr Cinders was a dressmaker and ran a shop in town. After his wife died, he was left to bring up their daughter, Ella, on his own. They lived happily until Mr Cinders married again. Poor Ella was treated horribly by her stepmother and two bullying stepsisters, but found solace in her friend, Buttons. Then one day, everyone except Ella is invited to a grand ball given by the Duchess of Arc for her handsome son. But on this very special evening there is more than a little magic in the air . . .

This outstanding re-telling of Cinderella is set in the 1920s and the paintings feature Shirley's own costume designs, inspired by the great French couturiers of the period.

'Stylish, vibrant and refreshing, with a surprise ending' The Bookseller

'Joyously illustrated . . . The delighful, surprising finale will satisfy all romantics' Carousel

'The pictures are glamorous, romantic and atmospheric . . . but the twists in the story are among the reasons why this book is so satisfying . . . This is a truly happy ending' Sunday Times

'Wonderful retelling of Cinderella with a surprise ending' Woman

Shirley was born in West Kirby, near Liverpool, and studied fashion and dress design at Liverpool Art School, before continuing her studies at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford. She then embarked on a career as a freelance illustrator in London, where she still lives today. She illustrated other writers' work, including Noel Streatfeild, Alison Uttley, Ian Seraillier, Margaret Mahy and notably Dorothy Edwards's My Naughty Little Sister series.
Shirley began to write and draw her own picture books when her children were young. Her first book - Lucy and Tom's Day - was published in 1960, and she followed it with, among others, Dogger and the Alfie series.
Shirley Hughes has won the Other Award, the Eleanor Farjeon Award, and the Kate Greenaway Medal for Illustration twice, for Dogger in 1977 and for Ella's Big Chance in 2003. In 2007 Dogger was voted the public's favourite Greenaway winner of all time. Shirley received an OBE in 1999 for services to Children's Literature.