Ella Enchanted

Gail Carson Levine is one of my favorite authors, and this book is one of the reasons. It has been made into a movie, and while the movie is very good, the book is still - as always - much better. This one is about a girl, Ella, who was given the "gift" of obedience by the fairy Lucinda when she was born. Lucinda is a good-hearted fairy, but has no idea that her gifts never turn out well - for example, at one point in the book she gives a newly-wed couple the gift of never being away from each other. The result of Ella's gift is that if anyone gives her an order, she must obey them no matter what. This is a Cinderella story, but has such an interesting and unique twist to the well-known tale that you almost don't realize that it is a retelling of Cinderella until you're almost through the story. Ella is a delightful, intelligent character who finally finds release from her gift through determination, courage, and love.