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

I loved that the traditional story of Cinderella was retold with history from the Underground Railroad. Beautifully written and perfect story to read in the classroom.

CeeCee, a young enslaved girl, dreams of being as carefree as the young white girls she's forced to care for. She especially wishes she could learn to read. When the enslaved cook of the household gives her a little hope and wisdom, she realizes that she can set out to her own kind of freedom in her own way. Just like Cinderella hears tell of her prince, CeeCee hears tell of the mythical Moses willing to help others to freedom in the North. But can she find Moses?

A beautiful story (with beautiful illustrations, as well!) about the resilience of the enslaved, their determination for freedom, and the people willing to help along the way -- all wrapped up within a fairy tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A heartfelt story that honestly I'm surprised if it hasn't been told before. The story of Cinderella is retold as a little girl who was enslaved and forced to care for a family's children in this powerful fable. I was touched by the fairy godmother being a woman who was also enslaved but worked to help Cee Cee escape. The prince, referred to as Moses, was there to help her escape. This is an important story that brings new meaning and emotion to the Underground Railroad. I recommend this book for schools and libraries.

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella is a beautifully illustrated story. Cecelia, shortened to CeeCee, is a young slave girl bullied by the white children she serves. She longs to be able to live the life she wants: learning, reading, and eating the same food as her owners. Her friend, Binty, the cook, tells her about Moses freeing the Egyptians. Secretively, she also encourages her to find freedom with the Underground Railroad. Emboldened by her dreams of freedom, mixed with the stories of Cinderella and Moses, CeeCee begins sewing herself a new dress to wear when she escapes slavery. As it turns out, CeeCee's rescuer is Harriet Tubman, who leads her to safety.

This book would be a great resource as part of a unit on Black History. This is a book that I plan to buy for my classroom.

Thank you very much to Charlesbridge and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.