Quick Rundown:
Author: Rafe Martin
Illustrator: David Shannon
Age Range: Grades 1-5
Blurb: “A scarred face does not prevent the Rough-Face girl from seeing the beauty of the earth around her, nor does it disguise her beautiful, kind heart in this award-winning retelling of a powerful Algonquin Cinderella.”
About: This is a beautifully illustrated story about a village whose women want to marry the Invisible Being. His sister asks each woman who comes to marry him two questions to verify they have seen him. The Rough-Face girl has two sisters who try to marry the Invisible Being but fail to answer the questions correctly. Like in the traditional Cinderella, the right woman became the wife.
This story has also been awarded: An IRA Teachers’ Choice Book, An ABC Children’s Booksellers’ Choice, Winner of the Georgia Children’s Picture Storybook Award, and Winner of the Nebraska’s Golden Sower Award.
Favorite Quote from Book: “But the Rough-Face Girl had faith in herself and she had courage. She didn’t turn back.”
Discussion Questions:
-How did the Rough-Face Girl receive that name?
-How is this story similar to the traditional Cinderella story you may have heard? Different?
-Why does every woman want to marry the Invisible Being?
-What does the Rough-Face girl see when she sees the Invisible Being before he reveals himself?
Activities to try with the book:
–Make a wigwam (or teepee): The characters in the story live in wigwams. Using thin strips of cardboard, create a dome shape. You can staple or glue them into place. Next, you can paper mache pieces of construction paper onto your dome. Don’t forget to have a little opening for the door.
–Tell a story with symbols: Research Native American drawing symbols and use those symbols to write your own story.
Interested in The Rough-Face Girl? Click the picture below to go to Amazon.
Reading Through the Library 