A Flock of Shoes

K-Gr 2—Abby loves her sandals. They not only make heart shapes in the sand and allow the wind to kiss her toes, but they are perfect for running, walking, skipping, and jumping, too. In fact, come fall, she refuses to relinquish them to her mother. Then one afternoon while swinging, Abby's footwear flies off her feet and joins a band of other sandals in the sky, heading south. She misses her sandals but is mollified by the postcards from them and her brand-new boots. By February she begins to love those boots with their white and blue exterior and fuzzy purple trim. All is well until the warm spring day they march off and hop a train filled with boots headed north. As luck would have it, Abby's sandals fly in the same day, grown just wide enough to fit her feet. The drawings are a satisfying mix of color, action, and white space that brings life to the characters and the seasons. The addition of Abby's expressive puppy in nearly every illustration is a nice touch. This amusing tale that finally explains where shoes go in the off season is great fun.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH