MECHANICA, by Betsy Cornwell

The story: In this futuristic Cinderella tale, our heroine isn't waiting around for a handsome prince to come and save the day. And while there's a stepmother, and two really awful stepsisters, there's no fairy godmother--just Mechanica's own hard work and smarts. Handsome prince? Check. (But things don't quite go the way you'd expect there, either.) If you liked Cinder, take a look at this one too!

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; sexual content PG; Nudity G; substance abuse G; magic and the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (death of a parent, abusive home situations) PG; overall rating PG--although it's not really a book for ES.

Liz's comments: You have to admire a girl who's not waiting around to be rescued by Prince Charming. Mechanica (as her stepsisters rudely name her, not realizing she'll come to appreciate the title) is hard-working, smart, and curious. This isn't your standard fairy-tale mashup, but that doesn't mean there isn't a happy ending.