The Golden Sandal
Will used a new technique to infuse this light into his artwork, underpainting his drawing on the underside of vellum and using a variety of media for the surface painting. As a result, the pages seem backlit and the sea and sky take on a dimension of depth. In this setting Maha goes about the village doing her chores surrounded by jugs and baskets and chickens. Will spotlights her with a rich red tunic, to be repeated on her betrothed Tariq, and gives her a gaze full of real affection for her father and the fish that brings her good fortune. The stepsisters, on the other hand, are awkward in posture and positioned against the left-to-right flow of the story. In the culminating scene, a resurrection of sorts, the large rock is rolled from the oven entrance as the cock crows and Maha emerges to her new life. The story ends with Will¹s hallmark parade across the final page, complete with banners and musical instruments.
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A Cinderella story from the Middle East, The Golden Sandal by Rebecca Hickox tells of a housegirl turned princess in the creamy sunlight and translucent moonlight of that part of the world.
 Starting From Sketch Inside the Picture Book of Will Hillenbrand
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Reviews
Amazon.com
However, with the Arabian twist, the girl's name is Maha, the benevolent creature is a fish, the shindig is a "grand henna," and the shoe that ultimately saves Maha from a cruel fate is none other than a golden sandal. Rebecca Hickox, author of Zorro and Quwi, Per and the Dala Horse and Matreshka, teams up with the well-loved illustrator Will Hillenbrand of The Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Counting Crocodiles, and the award-winning Wicked Jack to create this fresh twist on a familiar tale--guaranteed to keep youngsters riveted until the satisfying ending when justice prevails! (Ages 4 to 8)
From Booklist , April 1, 1998
Hillenbrand's illustrations capture a strong sense of place: women carry trays and jugs of water on their heads, and chickens outnumber dogs and cats on the streets. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, overworked Maha, the Cinderella character, stands in sharp contrast to her vain, lazy stepsister, another motif even the youngest child will quickly identify. However, some children won't understand why the male character, Tariq, wants to find and marry Maha when he hasn't met her (there's no dancing at a ball in this version) or why Tariq's horse won't drink from the water under the bridge. Even so, they'll sympathize with Maha and gasp in mock horror when the mean stepsister gets her due--a whole new look. Karen Morgan Copyright© 1998, American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Kirkus Reviews , February 15, 1998
When he arrives at Maha's house, her stepmother conceals her in an outdoor bread oven, but a happily-ever-after ending is as integral to this Iraqi version of the story as it is to other retellings. An illustrator's note explains the complex process undertaken for the artwork, done in stages with oils, oil pastel, egg tempera, watercolor, crayon and pencil on vellum, but what readers will come away with is an appreciation for the unusual setting, comic characters, and the age-old emotions and resolutions that rule this story. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
From Horn Book
Maha's fortunes alter-for the worse-and her needed fairy godmother appears as a red fish whose life Maha has spared. Maha earns the fish's eternal gratitude and a red fish earring dangling from her ear. A concluding note from author and illustrator records their respective research in bringing a new and appealing version of "Cinderella" to young readers. -- Copyright © 1998 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
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