This was unique and an interesting read. A great depiction of the Cinderalla story. Enslaved CeeCee serves two cruel sisters, learns in secret, and risks all for a chance at freedom.

What a lovely retelling of Cindrella! We really loved it. If you are looking for a Cindrella Retelling for your child, this might just be the book you need.

Set on a Maryland plantation, it is the story of an enslaved girl, Cecilia who in face of immense cruelty and mistreatment from the family of the plantation owner, never gives up her hope for a better life. A new life. And so when the help arrives, not in the form of a Prince Charming, but something entirely different, she takes the courageous leap of faith. CeeCee is the story of how she gets there. I won't reveal the spoilers for you, but if you have some background on the Underground Railroad, you will see the end coming, at least partly. In anycase, you are in for a pleasant surprise at the end. We highly recommend it.

Book Review: CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella Kindle Edition by Shana Keller (Author), Laura Freeman (Illustrator)

Rating: 4 Stars

I just finished CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella by Shana Keller, and I’m still thinking about it. This retelling of Cinderella takes the familiar fairy-tale beats and places them in a much darker, more real setting: a Maryland plantation where CeeCee, a young enslaved girl, quietly shoulders all the labor and the cruelty that comes with it. Rather than waiting for a prince, CeeCee’s story moves toward a different kind of rescue—one rooted in courage, community, and the desperate hope for freedom.

Keller’s version keeps the essence of the Cinderella arc—service, longing, and a transformative chance—but reshapes it with historical weight. CeeCee grows up in the house with two spoiled daughters she must care for, learning from their lessons in hushed moments and risking punishment every time she reaches for a bit more knowledge. Her small acts of learning, and the kindness she receives from the cook Binty, are woven into a narrative about resilience more than romance. When an opportunity for escape comes, it’s not a fairy-tale twist but a life-or-death decision that demands everything from her.

I have to say, the book is gorgeous. The cover grabbed me right away—there’s something striking and tender about it that matches the story inside. The interior illustrations are equally lovely and do so much to deepen the emotion on the page; they make the characters feel present and the stakes feel real. The whole package feels carefully crafted: it’s moving, often heartbreaking, and utterly memorable.

What I loved most was how the retelling honors both the original fairytale themes and the historical realities it introduces. CeeCee’s longing isn’t for a ballroom or a prince; it’s for self-determination and safety. The caring relationships—especially with Binty—bring warmth and moral clarity to a story that could easily have been only bleak. And yet Keller doesn’t shy away from the brutality of the setting; that tension is what gives the book its power.

If you like historical reimaginings, or if you’re looking for a picture book that treats young readers to serious themes without talking down to them, this one’s worth your time. It made me feel a lot—sadness, anger, hope—and I think that’s exactly what good storytelling should do.

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

This is a very serious version of a Cinderella story where Cinderella (Cee Cee) is an enslaved person and she is following Harriet Tubman. What a way to share folklore with middle school students.

I decided to request CeeCee, not knowing how deeply it'd humble me. And yet, I was humbled. I am left speechless by how cruel it was and still is for little girls like you, having to face such cruelty. I feel compelled to share your story with others. No, I must share yours. It saddens me that CeeCee isn't the last girl to be treated like this...

Awe I absolutely loved this. Shows not to give up and sometimes you have to trust even when your afraid. I like how Cinderella was included and at the end it talks more about what happned, in the under ground railroad.

8/10
3+
A brunette Cinderella! A dream come true for many adults of today who were raised with blonde and blonde Cinderella only, including myself...

CeeCee is hardworking. When she has dreams of wearing a dress like the one in the story she read, she works very hard to achieve her dream and sews her a dress just like the story's.

Also, CeeCee isn't with her stepmother but rather with the woman and her daughters she was on a plantation with. I think it is very cool to adjust the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

A fairy tale can inspire great bravery, and the story of Cinderella became the hope needed to Follow the Drinking Gourd and be led to Freedom by Minty aka Harriet Tubman. This story is incredibly reworked to encourage many people in a wonderful way.
Note at the end tells about the woman Harriet Tubman.
The illustrations by Laura Freeman are detailed and with vibrant colors that emphasize the prose.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof galley from Charlesbridge via NetGalley.
***** review #goodreads #storygraph #NetGalley #BookBub #librarything Aug 12, 2025
#CeeCee by Shana Keller @theshanakeller with illustrator @laurafreemanart #UndergroundRailroadCinderella @charlesbridgepublishing #bookstagram #picturebook #cinderellastory #cinderellaretelling #childrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #kidlit #courage @childrensbookcouncil #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #moreillustrations #kidlitart #inclusion #children_illustration #fairytaleretellings #historyteachersofinstagram #mustreadbook #picturebookmagic #cinderellainspired

A reimagined Cinderella. I adore most fairytale retellings or reimaginings for adults or children - it doesn't matter, as long as it captures the imagination.

Love how emotive the expressions are, as depicted in the illustrations.

Cee Cee is made to do the chores and be the scapegoat. She is bullied, beaten, and/or teased, whilst the girls, Amelia and Georgina, show and hold no love or affection for her. The only one who shows any semblance of care for her is the cook, Binty.

Dreams bring stories alive for Cee Cee, and she hashes a plan of escape.

It is an amalgamation of a fairytale, Biblical, and historical references, with exploratory notation at the end of the book. Interesting take and mashup.

This is a lovely picture book. It’s not quite a Cinderella story, but the comparisons are there. It is about a little black girl in the time of slavery who is mistreated while the white girls of the home are lazy and mean. This is about CeeCee escaping to freedom and claiming her original name and not the CeeCee she has been called. This was a very well-done story and the illustrations match. I love that the author talks about names and how names have power and how names were changed in servitude and rejoicing.

This retelling of Cinderella takes place in Maryland along the Underground Railroad. CeeCee must clean up after the two girls in the house and gets locked in the attic if she dares to read. She dreams of Moses coming to rescue her.

This is a great way to bring the Cinderella story into a new story. The illustrations are interesting, using a variety of textures and harsh lines between them.

I think this will be great to add to my library. I recommend it to other librarians as well.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Net Galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a lovely and timely retelling of the classic Cinderella story! Featuring beautiful and evocative illustrations throughout, this book will be a great read aloud for upper elementary students. The author takes the classic Cinderella story but puts a whole new spin on the familiar tale, weaving in American history.

A beautifully done story of the underground railroad, told through the eyes of a child who is a slave. This book crams in such a great amount of knowledge in a way that is more accessible to children. Definitely an important book.

This was an unexpected pleasure of a book that exceeded my expectations, which were already high. Shana Keller's story of a young enslaved girl determined to escape her life of pain and seek her own path is inspiring, and Cee Cee makes for an empathetic and lovable heroine. As a reader, I kept thinking of the other real life enslaved children in similar circumstances, many of whose stories we will never know. One of the biggest draws of this book is little Cee Cee's agency, her determination to take her freedom into her own hands and search for better, even as it means striking out on her own. The plantation cook, Binty, and her relationship with Cee Cee was heartwarming, and her advice gave Cee Cee the encouragement and skills that she needed to survive under the circumstances. (I wish that Binty could have escaped, as well.) Cee Cee's relationship with her mother and her fierce protection of the name that her mother gave her is also inspiring.


Much like the original "Cinderella," this is very much a female-centric story. All of the events take place inside the domestic sphere, which is where many of the horrors against enslaved Black people, and particularly enslaved Black women and girls, were perpetrated. Both Keller and Freeman do an excellent job of showing the combination of physical and emotional/psychological abuse inflicted upon enslaved girls, from remarks about Cee Cee's intelligence to daily taunting from the slaveowners' daughters. (There's an intriguing context clue in the illustrations with Cee Cee's phenotype that may, at least partially, have an impact on the especially cruel way that she's treated by the slaveowners; perceptive adults and older readers will spot it right away.) I appreciate the depiction of a female slaveowner as the primary antagonist, something that is true to history but isn't always represented in children's literature about slavery. This female centered theme extends to Binty's advice and planning help for Cee Cee's escape, as well as in the identity of her deliverer, one whom older readers may again intuit but that is still exciting to see at the book's end.

This framing device of using the fairy tale to draw parallels with Cee Cee's life is an ambitious one. I was a little skeptical at first of how well this would translate. On the one hand, I think it can be a good way to introduce children to the topic of slavery, one that is extremely sensitive and tragic, by using a story style that they're familiar with. However, I'm also always wary of potentially downplaying the severity of slavery (either intentionally or unintentionally) by using this technique. It's important for children to know that Cee Cee and millions of children like her were enslaved; not just mistreated, not just disrespected, but in an unnatural position where someone literally owned them as property. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed, as Keller handles the subject matter with grace in a way that's engaging as well as realistic. (I would recommend however that anyone reading this aloud to children emphasize the nature of slavery and exactly what that means.) The contextual notes at the end about how she developed her story and informed her development of Cee Cee's character were insightful. I especially appreciated the portion about names and their importance, and the significance of enslaved people reclaiming or creating new names for themselves as a key component to achieving their freedom.

Keller and Freeman are emerging as a great author/illustrator team, and I look forward to their continued future partnership. Both of them seem to truly understand each other's intentions and vision. The text and the illustrations flow together perfectly and enhance the overall story. I like the addition of culturally relevant art choices, such as Cee Cee's dreams about her ideal prince matching that of a Black African one versus a generic white one, as the slaveowners' daughters would imagine. This is an engrossing title which is a welcome addition to any child's bookshelf and I'm anticipating its release.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Charlesbridge, for this DRC in exchange for a fair and honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

I was initially drawn to this book curious how this author would intertwine the story of Cinderella and a fictional CeeCee as an enslaved child. I was hoping it wouldn’t follow a more traditional Cinderella path, and was pleasantly surprised by the plot.

First of all, I think the author and illustrator did a phenomenal job working together to tell this story. The illustrations were beautiful with the characters faces showing emotion, the surroundings showing depth, and the food looking good enough to eat. This is obviously a serious subject matter despite the fairy tale tilt and I think it was illustrated very well.

Furthermore I thought the story was interesting and especially so when taking into account the historical context pages at the end. This is a heavy subject, but this story was told in a way I think would be approachable for children while also championing the incredible people such as Harriet Tubman who did such inspiring and courageous work leading others to freedom, and the people who showed such courage to leave.

Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ceecee is a beautifully written and deeply moving story that reimagines Cinderella through the eyes of a young enslaved girl longing for freedom. While the tale is heartbreaking, it’s also filled with strength and hope. Ceecee isn’t her real name—she lost that along with her freedom—but she never gave up her love for stories or her desire to learn and live a better life.

Her journey is inspiring as she secretly plans her escape while enduring harsh treatment and endless chores. The story powerfully captures her determination to find “Moses” and escape through the Underground Railroad.

The illustrations are gorgeous and take up full pages, adding emotional depth and beauty to the narrative. There’s also a helpful section at the end with historical context that enriches the reading experience.

Though the subject matter is heavy, the book delivers an important message about resilience, hope, and the power of stories. It’s a touching, educational read with a unique and meaningful fairytale twist.

An excellent version of Cinderella with very real history. The references to the old, well-known story are sensible, and the new additions that place the story in a new historical setting also make sense. The art seemed a bit two-dimensional at first, but as the book progressed it began to feel almost luminous. I like the uncertain ending, very true to it's time.

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella (Kindle Edition)
by Shana Keller
This is the story of the hopes and dreams of a young girl. Whom was born into slavery. after many years of hard work, and restricting of education, hopes and dreams were all she had left. In her mind her prince, her savior was the Prince Moses from the bible that will lead her to freedom. What she finds with planning, and a little help she can find her Moses and her freedom. Even if its not what she expected. The use of the underground railroad is brought to young readers with this story.

Thank you so much to Charlesbridge and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Ceecee is such a stunning story, based upon a telling of Cinderella but through the eyes of a young enslaved girl wanting to find her freedom. It was such a captivating story and it is heartbreaking and so powerful all at her same time.

I really loved reading this story, Ceecee wasn’t her name at all but she held her name close for when she could use it again. Being forced to work for two rich children who were very rude, she doesn’t get to have freedom, she doesn’t get to learn like they did. But she loved stories and wanted to learn, wanted to live instead of what she was forced to do.

Seeing this strong girl start to build up a plan was so powerful, she knew she needed to not be there, she worked so hard doing her normal chores but then secretly worked hard for herself so she could find Moses and be taken to freedom. I loved it so much it’s such an incredible created story of the Underground Railroad and how a child in captivity could find strength to be free.

The book has the most gorgeous illustrations and I loved looking at them all, they were mostly very big illustrations that took the whole page but it was perfect for this story and really enhanced it. We also got some extra information at the end which is always perfect to give a bigger broader insight to the topic of the story.

I throughly loved this story, though it was really sad as any story is about enslaved people, but this story also gave you hope, it helped share exactly how hard it was for them and how long planning took to find a way out. A great and educational read with a wonderful fairytale inspired story.

Thank you to Charlesbridge and Netgalley for this digital arc.
The beauty of the cover drew me to “CeeCee” by Shana Keller and illustrated by Laura Freeman, and the mesmerizing and atmospheric artwork continued throughout the book. The comparison of CeeCee to older versions of the Cinderella story, and how their names were changed, presented themes I did not expect. The plot incorporates CeeCee being directed to Harriet Tubman, also called Moses or Minty, and underground railroad. I highly recommend this historical fiction title for all elementary and middle grades.
#CeeCee