Title: Red Shoes by Karen English, Illustrated by Ebony Glenn
Publisher: Scholastic
Recommended Grades: Preschool-3rd
Where to order: Here
Book Description
Red shoes glowing-
Perched on a pedestal in the shop window
as if on a throne.
"I want those, Nana," Malika says, as they pass the shop.
"We'll see," Nana says with a wink. "Looks like you could use a new pair.
Malika is delighted when Nana surprises her with a beautiful new pair of red shoes! And with a click-clack-click and a swish, swish, swish, Malika wears her wonderful new shoes everywhere she goes. But one day, the shoes begin to pinch Malika's toes. And alas, they don't let her forget that her feet have grown! Soon Malika and Nana are off to the Rare Finds Resale Shop, where the shoes can be resold -- so another little girl can enjoy them!
Who will be the next to wear the red shoes? Malika wonders.
Then Inna Ziya buys the shoes, and readers follow the shoes all the way across the world to Africa, where Amina, another little girl, who has fasted her first time for Ramadan is about to get an amazing gift!
Thoughts
First of all, this book is gorgeous! Ebony Glenn's bright and colorful illustrations draw readers into this sweet story. I like how the story connects families from two different continents and cultures with something as simple as a pretty pair of red shoes.
Representation matters and it's great to see Black characters being the highlight of a story as special as this one. Ramadan is also mentioned in the story, which allows children who participate and those who may have never learned about it, to see it represented in a story book.
Add Red Shoes to your to be read (TBR) list today! This book publishes September 15, 2020. Ordering is available now.