Jouanah is a Cinderella story from Hmong, Southeast Asia. This story has that same elements as the traditional Cinderella story; however, the story has its own cultural spins. Jouanah mother was turned into a cow to help the family farm prosper. Selfishly, Jouanah’s father never turned her mother back into a human and married another woman. She was evil and so was her daughter. They treated Jouanah like a slave. When the New Year festivities came around, Jouanah was told to stay home and work. Nonetheless, her real mother helped her find a way to go. At the festival she met a handsome young man, one of the finest in the village. In a hurry to beat her step mom and sister home, Jouanah left the man without telling her name. The only way he had to find her was by the shoe that she left behind.
Before reading this book with my students, I would make sure to read the tradition Cinderella story with them. After reading Jouanah, I would have the students compare the two different Cinderella fairy tale books and list out the cultural differences. Next, I would have each child pick a country and write their own Cinderella story from their chosen country. Their story would need to include cultural variations according to their country. After typing their stories, the students will have peer editing partners to help correct any mistakes. The student will print their stories and draw pictures to go with along with it.
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