Last updated: July 28, 2026
If you’re looking for Ella Enchanted teaching ideas, Gail Carson Levine’s award‑winning novel is a wonderful choice for exploring character growth, courage, and the consequences of magical “gifts.” This Cinderella‑inspired tale blends humor, adventure, and heartfelt moments as Ella fights against a curse that forces her to obey any command. Students love discussing the choices she makes along the way.
Reading Level
Lexile 670L
Interest Level
Grades 3-5
Length
240 pages
Award
Newbery Honor
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⭐ About the Book
Ella Enchanted begins with a twist on the classic fairy tale. When Ella is born, the foolish fairy Lucinda gives her the “gift” of obedience. This means Ella must follow any order, no matter how dangerous or unfair. At first, Ella’s mother and their cook manage to protect her, but everything changes when her mother dies, and her father remarries. Ella’s new stepsisters, Hattie and Olive, quickly discover her secret and use it to torment her. Hattie orders Ella not to eat, not to speak, and even to end her friendship with Areida, leaving Ella isolated and frustrated.
Despite these challenges, Ella’s spirit remains strong. She meets Prince Char, whose kindness and sincerity win her heart, but Ella fears that her curse could force her to harm him or be used against the kingdom. Determined to break free, she sets out on a quest to find Lucinda and convince her to reverse the spell. Along the way, Ella encounters ogres, giants, and other magical creatures, each encounter revealing her bravery and cleverness.
⭐ Book Details
| Publication Date | April 25, 1997 |
| Reading Level | Lexile 670L • Scholastic Guided Reading Level U |
| Interest Level | Grades 3–5 (Age Range 8–12) |
| Major Awards | Newbery Honor Book |
| Length | 240 pages (approx. 73,200 words) |
| Estimated Reading Time | About 4 hours and 53 minutes (at 250 words per minute) |
| Audiobook Length | 5 hours, 43 minutes |
| Genre | Fairy tale |
| Setting | Kyrria • Town of Frell |
| Point of View | First person, from Ella’s perspective |
| Themes | Power • Family • Language • Wealth • Society and Class • Rules and Order • Choices |
| Memorable Quote | “I wished she’d never stop squeezing me. I wished I could spend the rest of my life as a child, being slightly crushed by someone who loved me.” |
| First Line | “THAT FOOL of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift.” |
Ella Enchanted Activities
Book Unit Samples
This sample contains the following:
- Comprehension for Chapters 1-3
- Constructed Response Question
Teaching Idea #1 ~ Comparing Cinderella Stories
Literally, thousands of Cinderella stories have been told. Some popular versions include:
- The Rough Face Girl
- Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China
- Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
- Cinder
In these books, Cinderella is a Native American, from China, from Africa, and even a cyborg.
In these books, Cinderella is a Native American, from China, from Africa, and even a cyborg.
This free printable may be used to compare Ella Enchanted to any Cinderella story. The three mini-books include guiding questions such as:
- What are the first and last lines of the story?
- Is Cinderella from a royal family?
- Does the story have good vs. evil characters?
- Is magic part of the story?
- What are some problems and solutions?
- Are events grouped in threes or sevens?
Teaching Idea #2 ~ Comparing Ella Enchanted to the Traditional Cinderella Story
If you wish to go with the traditional version of Cinderella, you may download my free unit from Teachers Pay Teachers. This unit includes the story in an illustrated book form. It also contains a paper-friendly version.
The reading level is G.E. 5.1. This makes it the appropriate level for students reading Ella Enchanted.
Teaching Idea #3 ~ Student Projects
While reading Ella Enchanted, have students create projects of their choice. Our students created timelines, bookmarks, and illustrations from the story.
Teaching Idea #4 ~ Comparing the Book to the Movie
Opinions vary as to if the movie captures the essence of the book. While the movie does retain the basic storyline of the book and some of its key themes, the changes made to the plot, characters, and setting may be seen as significant by some readers.
Here are some key differences:
Age:
In the book, Ella is only 15 years old, but in the movie, she is portrayed as a young adult.
Plot:
While the overall plot of the book is retained in the movie, there are several changes made to the story. For instance, in the movie, Prince Charmont (Char) is more of a main character. He plays a larger role in the plot than he does in the book. Also, the ending of the movie is different from the book.
Characters:
Several characters from the book are either omitted or reduced in importance in the movie. For example, Ella’s stepsisters are not as prominent in the movie as they are in the book. Additionally, the fairy Lucinda, who is a key character in the book, has a smaller role in the movie.
Setting:
While the book is set in a medieval-like kingdom, the movie has a more modern feel to it, with a mix of medieval and contemporary elements.
See the product that inspired this post.
Ella Enchanted Novel Study includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
