Shoes Books

This book of poetry is, in a word, beautiful from start to finish. The illustrations are breathtaking, and have the look and texture of an oil-painting, which I really enjoy.

The book takes you through the story of Cinderella by utilizing poetry as a way for each character to make their voice heard. In addition to odes to Cinderella and her fair Prince, there are also poems from the jealous and covetous evil step-mother, as well as a hauntingly sad poem from the ghost of Cinderella's father, who mourns the day he made the mistake of bringing her step-mother into their lives.

Fairy-tale lovers and collectors will enjoy adding this beautiful book of poetry, dedicated to one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time, to their extensive collections. Others will enjoy it for the uniqueness and warmth it gives to the tale of "Cinderella".

I love Laura Whipple's vibrant retelling of the Cinderella story. It's fresh, new and full of ryhthmic enchantment from the cat ("cat is master; cat is cat") to the glass slipper pining for its mate, to the wary rat who becomes a coachman ("where were my whiskers, a-twitching, a-tremble?") The book begs to be read aloud - even sung - alone or in a group. The ending, in which Cinderella addresses her audience, brought tears to my eyes. It told me, "This is not only Cinderella's story, it is yours." Laura Beingessner's accompanying illustrations are as full of magic as the text. All in all, this book is a winner.

I came across this book the other day on a book shelf; the cover was interesting so I picked it up. I was so impressed ! I love poetry. It brought to light aspects about the Cinderella saga that I only wondered about as a child. The prince's mother's reaction to this "Cinders-girl"; the sad ghost of Ella's father wandering about with no rest; the deep hurt and jealousy of the step mother; all was just so wonderful. The poetry and heart of L. Whipple really brought this story to life. I actually cried when I read it. The pictures were superb, I especially love the picture of the rat/coachman and his tale.

The garden cat and his telepathic communication with "The Magic-she" (fairy godmother) was divinely esoteric. The rhythm flowed well and the thoughts were unique. I have to say that this book is a real enchantment. If you like poetry, if your children know the story of Cinderella but you would like to give them a bit of reading to ponder upon, get this book. It's a good adult read as well, for both men and women. This is a wonderful book for any library. Thanks Laura Whipple and artist Laura Beingessner for making the world a better place to live with your wonderful talents.

As a friend to someone with MS I was never quite sure how to react when we were in different situations. This book showed me what it must be like to have MS from her point of view. It opened my eyes and I now have a better understanding of my friend's life.

My order was processed promptly and I received it quickly.No problems. I was a little disappointed in the book itself. Everything in it was pretty much what I already knew but that is not Amazons fault. Thank you, Marla

As a fitness professional who works with several people who have MS this book gave me great insight as to what their personal challenges are. It helped me relate to them on a different level. I feel that I am now better prepared to work with my clients and understand their needs. It was a delightful book that used humor to show me what it would be like to walk in the shoes of someone with MS.

This book is a beautiful book as far as the pictures go and it does have all the lines and styles in one book, but the price guide is very limited. It doesn't break down the generation of the shoes, ie: Thailand or China, shoe box colors (a collector's item in themselves), or oddities and their value as most are rare. This publisher should use the similar guidelines of their Beanie Baby Collectors Guide and break down the generations or in this case production generations, and it's varities. As it stands now, it is just a catalog.

I'm not the shoe collector... the wife is so I bought her this guide. She loves it, which ends up costing me more money, 'cause now she wants more shoes.

Considering this is the only book in the market for the JTRS collection, it contains mostly everything you would need to complete your collection. All of Raine's shoes, up to the end of 2000, are included in this book along with her Take A Seat collection. There are brief descriptions for each shoe and the suggested retail price with a place for you to enter the price you paid for each piece. There is an interview with Raine as well as a brief history about the shoe collection. Keep in mind that since this collection is rather new, the market value information will be limited.

Like the very successful book that tells you what to do when your life is in sudden danger, The Little Know-How Book gives simple, step-by-step instructions for sixty-eight how-to scenarios, only this one's got you covered in the How to Make Friends With Almost Any Dog and How to Tie a Tie and How to Understand Football departments. From the unbelievably practical (How to Change a Tire) to the fascinatingly silly (The Wonderful World of Tidal Creatures), Bob Scher breaks everything down to a few simple, easy-to-follow steps with great illustrations by Richard Sala. What's wonderful about this book is that while the subject matter is undeniably practical, you'll read it simply because it's interesting, humorous, and very well-written, whether you ever use the advice or not.

I'll agree with a previous reviewer and say that its only shortcoming is that it's too short; perhaps the author would consider a Volume 2.

An excellent gift for college graduates and for yourself, The Little Know-How Book should be required reading for any newly independent adult.

I bought this book for my sister for Christmas and decided to take a peek in it before I wrapped it. I ended up keeping it for myself. Not only are the things truly need to know things, but the book is so well-written and wonderfully humourous, I can't help but recommend it.

The only way to improve on this book would be to make it longer. Scher's style makes things incredibly easy to understand, and all of the items are things you need to know, unlike the highly entertaining but largely superfluous How to Hold a Crocodile (by The Diagram Group) or any of the Reader's Digest how-to manuals that are packed with more than anyone will ever need. Heck, Bob Scher even gives you "Directions for Screwing"! Who could possibly resist that?

The instructions are clear and easy to be follow. It was not difficult to adjust the boot's pattern to fit my 18" Kewipe doll under the directions. I used PVC fabric to instead leather, the effect was also great. If you want to dress your beloved dolls more perfectly, this book is a necessary reference for you.

I've used this (paperback) book to make shoes for an American Girl doll plus a couple of others. It's a nice book for basic patterns and is easy to follow for novices, like myself. A handy reference book for those who go on to greater things.

Doll Shoes Workbook II gives directions that I can understand and it is a guide to materials. I only wish I had seen that there was a Workbook I that preceded it.

"A Mile In Their Shoes" is full of interviews with World War II vets, it tells the story of the "War To End All Wars, vol. 2" as only the soldiers and sailors themselves could have seen it. Elson began interviewing veterans in 1987 when he first attended the reunion of his father's unit, the 712th Tank Battalion. Amazed at the stories some of those guys would tell, he thought to himself, "I've got to get these down on paper before they are lost forever." The result is "A Mile In Their Shoes." Written in a unique question/answer style, Elson guides the interviews with only an occasional clarifying question. Otherwise, he just sits back and lets the vets talk about their experiences. And what incredible experiences they were! "A Mile In Their Shoes" is an amazing historical project. How often do you wish that you had just listened a little closer to what your dad or grandad had to say about the War? I know that I wish I had listened closer to my father's tales of being in the Flying Tigers. Now that he has passed away, all I have is a photo album full of pictures I don't have a clue about. Aaron Elson has done a great service to the history of the World War II era. By painstakingly assembling the accounts of these select men, he has preserved a bit of time which would have been otherwise lost.

With the spurt of oral histories about in the last few years, I enjoyed reading this authors work. It is very forward and well done. It tells the mini-histories of many people who contributed to our victory in WWII. I found it a very quick, informative, and exciting reading experience. I also read 9-Lives by the author, and would also give that book 4 stars.

This is a spectacular collection of oral interviews that the author has collected from an amazing group of vets. Here you get first hand accounts of what it was like to have been a G.I. And like his book '9 lives', Elson has included a wide range of stories from different players in the war. He sat down and questioned each vet and was able to bring out thrilling and little known facts of the war in Europe. In fact some of these stories are found no where else, in no other books. My particular favorite was the interview with the paratroop...Elson was able to get the soldier to open up and share the terror and the excitement of combat. The stories are told so well that you can actually see, for example, the rain of artillery shells that pounded down as 'all of Holland would bounce 10 feet in the air', and could feel how close the speaker was to breaking down. I know the emotion was high during these interviews because you can feel it just by reading it. This is a gem of a book! And while you're at it check out 'nine lives'.

I have to begin by saying I have not read this novel yet. But I do know the author of Mismatched Shoes and can say she's a pretty decent woman. And I always like to express that "from the minds of decency comes quality." Her story is unique and she is too. I remember when she was in the process of getting the book out and how excited she was, and I also saw how hard she worked on it and for that, I applaud her success.
I've ordered Mismatched Shoes and eagerly await its arrival, and I definitely look forward to the future works of Jackie.

This book left me, by turns, in tears and laughing so loud that my husband demanded to read it with me. (He liked it, too.) It was unique in that it was a rare glimpse into the mechanisms of relationship, identity, and pure, unbridled hope.

Mis-matched shoes was a very good read.I think that it portrayed the black experience from a whole new perspective. Diving into the metaphysical side of life Ms.Gullete bravly ventured into family history, relationships ,gifts of prophecy and more. The characters are brutally honest, witty and real. People of all ages and backgrounds should enjoy this book.It truly express how hard it is to grow-up, make-up and get up once you've fallen down. It shows that love is everywhere so its okay to mess up and your never too old or to young to get it right.

I had so much fun reading this mystery. Sex, secrets, scandal, suspense--it had it all! I feel as if I lived every minute of it with Annie.

We've all kissed our share of toads in our search for Prince Charming, but some women just can't get a break. Such is the case in the humorous mystery, My Mother's Shoes. The debut novel of Elizabeth Jean Allen is a page turner loaded with characters you instantly love, and villains you love to hate.

Annie Natali's mother has been gone for ten years and Annie is convinced she's dead. Everyone else in town thinks she ran off with another man--a pattern that had kept tongues wagging in their small hometown for as long as Annie could remember. But when her mother's shoes and purse are uncovered at a construction site, Annie starts sifting through the gossip and lies in search of the truth.

Unfortunately, Annie has troubles of her own. She's separated from a cheating husband who wants to kill her. Her biological father tries to keep her employed at one job, while one of her step-fathers fires her from another. And a step-brother endeavors to keep her safe despite the fact she's too stubborn to accept his help because she's totally attracted to him.

Small town, USA comes alive with gossip, scandal and hilarity as Annie attempts to solve her mother's murder while trying to keep herself out of the grave.

This book was fun to read. It is presented in a light humerous way that keeps you reading. A refreshing change from the standard murder mystery. Take a break and treat yourself. The author will be one to follow in the years to come - she has talent and humor is her strength.

Mira, Mira, I enjoyed this mira-culous book about a sweet inventive girl. And best of all, it's about shoes! Kids love shoes!!!

Probably best suited for 4-8 yrs. It's a story about a little girl and her new shoes. It contains moments of amusement and interest, BUT, it's about shoes.

It could've been worse. This story could've been "New Dental Floss For Silvia." Yes the book does have good illustrations. Yes this story exposes children to other cultures (in another America). Yes the story makes children aware of economic disparity of children in other countries. But, it seems the author could've chosen a more interesting subject.

This little story is wonderful.
Very universal, very culturally educational.
Spectacularly illustrated.
I think, in response to the other reviews, that the story of a little girl who wants to fit into her new shiny red shoes is quite appealing and accurate. I think it was a delightful story.

RUNNING SHOES received 2009 STORYTELLING WORLD AWARD RESOURCE- Category 2 - Winner "Stories for Pre-Adolescent Listeners." Please find more exciting information and review in 2009 spring edition of Storytelling Magazine/Storytelling World.
With all good wishes,
Fred Lipp

Lipp, Frederick. Running Shoes. Illustrated by Jason Gaillard. Charlesbridge. 2008.

This simple poignant story is about a young Cambodian girl named Sophy who has a secret wish that she just knows would come true if she had a pair of shoes. "Her wish felt far, far away like a hawk lazily soaring in circles in the sky." One day, the census taker comes to count the number of people in her village. The kind man notices that the barefoot Sophy admires his running shoes and asks her to come with him to a patch of sand where he measures her feet; soon she receives a pair of running shoes in the mail. Now Sophy can attend school because she can run safely the 16- kilometer round trip - "The shoes protected her feet from the sharp, red rocks. She sailed through the air like a skipping stone over water." The next year when the "number man" arrives at the village, Sophy takes him to the sand and writes, "Thank you for the running shoes. Now I can read and write." The illustrations are beautiful,suffused with warm colors, motion and emotion.

Sophy, a young girl living in a remote low-income village in Cambodia, faced a number of obstacles that prevented her from going to school. Only boys attended the closest school, which was eight kilometers away, and the recent death of her father dealt a large personal and economic blow. However, one day a government census worker, who visited the village once a year, noticed Sophy staring at his running shoes and took an interest in her situation. The running shoes that arrived at Sophy's home a month later helped her to overcome one obstacle - the long trip by foot on a narrow, rocky road - to get to school. Her courage, bright mind, and quick feet helped to overcome an even bigger problem, namely the ridicule from the boys that a girl wanted to join them at school.

This unique book provides readers with a compelling account of the multiple barriers that prevent some children in less developed countries, especially girls, from attending school. Getting past such hurdles can involve multiple steps, including a change in parents' willingness and ability to send a child to school, relaxing social norms about who can attend school, and improving school access for children in remote villages. Running Shoes carefully touches on each of these issues in an inspiring story that will appeal to children and adults alike.