Red Shoes

Karen English's "Red Shoes" is a gentle, heartwarming chapter book that follows the journey of a beloved pair of red shoes. Malika cherishes her new red shoes, wearing them everywhere until she eventually outgrows them. Her grandmother then takes them to a second-hand shop, where they are purchased and sent to Africa. There, they become a special present for Amina, a girl who has fasted half the month of Ramadan, and who will love them just as much as Malika did. This story beautifully explores themes of gratitude, sharing, and the joy that simple possessions can bring, subtly introducing the concept of giving and receiving across cultures. It's important to note that this is an original contemporary story and not an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's darker fairy tale of the same name.

Malika loves her new red shoes and wears them everywhere, but eventually she outgrows them, and her grandmother takes them to a second-hand shop--where they will become a special present for Amina (who fasted half the month of Ramadan) in Africa, who will enjoy her special red shoes every bit as much as Malika did.