Oh I adored this sweet little slice of life story! It introduced me to a charming environment, darling characters and an urge to listen to Calypso music!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, given the range of Varon's previous work. More the long picture book feel of Odd Duck than the heavily symbolic nature of Robot Dreams. Simple morals and a little bit of educational information.

This was so cute! I loved the simple illustrations and I think children will especially love them too. I really liked seeing all the different animals and learn about the native plants and whatnot she included in the backgrounds! And the story had such good morals too - when Francis gets the job to make shoes for his favorite recording artist but soon finds out that his friend Nigel has been captured, I loved the line about there being more important things than making shoes! Some of the morals were more subtle than others, but it covered a wide range of topics: rescuing your friends, going outside your comfort zone, learning from others, teamwork, learning where your materials are coming from lol, etc. I think it has a lot to offer to readers of all ages!

This book is a cute graphic novel great for middle to late elementary students. It's all about friendship and helping each other out in the worst of times.

Donkey, a cobbler, has been asked to designshoes for Miss Manatee, the famous calypso singer. When his supplier disappears, Donkey must go into the Amazon to look for him. Accompanying him on his journey, readers will learn about the floraand fauna found in the rainforest.

Review that will appear on GoodReads Mar 6:

Francis the shoemaker is known for the best shoes. He takes great pride in the high quality and fair trade materials he uses. When he gets an order from a famous singer, Francis is eager to get to work but his friend Nigel is late with his delivery of tiger grass. With his friend Rhoda's help, Francis sets out into the South American jungle to find tiger grass himself and hopefully Nigel too.

I really enjoyed the South American setting for this book. That's something new for Varon, and will be exotic for a lot of readers. The plot allows readers to meet many different South American animals and plants. The plot also brings up fair trade in a way that kids will easily grasp. I was waiting the entire book for Francis to finally realize his even bigger problem, that the famous singer is a manatee. He finally does realize the issue with making shoes for a manatee and comes up with a clever solution I didn't see coming. Very creative problem solving. The students at our school LOVE Varon's books, and the books appeal to a very broad age range. The students will be super excited when they find out this new one is coming out, and we'll have to order multiple copies for our libraries to keep the masses happy.

No content issues.

Sara Varon's newest book, New Shoes, merges the strength of children’s books — strong central images and adorable characters — with a longer, more meaningful story in a substantial graphic novel for ages 6-10.

It’s the story of Francis, a donkey who makes excellent shoes. A famous singer, Miss Manatee, has commissioned a new pair of shoes from him (I know, it’s dealt with later in the story), but his supplier of wild tiger grass, which he has woven to make the shoes, has gone missing. Francis and his parrot friend Rhoda set out to find Nigel, the squirrel monkey who gathers the grass.

There are so many charming things about this story. The animals work together to build a functioning economy where craft and creativity are valued. Everyone has different skills, and they trade what they know or produce for other things they need. The community shares enjoyable activities, like spending time together listening to music. The details of shoe making, if animals made shoes, are laid out in thoughtful detail, to inspire readers to think about how basic things are made, and how they might be different in a less industrialized environment.

There’s a voyage with plenty of adventure but not too much danger, as Francis leaves his village to travel into the jungle. All of the conflict is explainable through actions taken, and everyone has understandable motives for what they do. The length of the story — almost 200 pages — means there’s time for wonderful images of the animals spending time together or walking through the village.

There’s a love of learning on display, as Francis makes sure to take guidebooks on his journey because “he didn’t want to seem provincial if he ran into animals he’d not seen before.” (Examples from these books are quoted in the text, for additional educational value.) He’s also polite in talking to new acquaintances, gaining valuable insight from their experiences beyond his own. And he learns to swim!

I’m impressed by how well Varon draws her characters. They’re simplified, basic enough that they can be copied by young readers, but she still manages to have them express body language and common activities. Most of the pages are single images, which provides a substantial sense of place. Varon has spent time in Guyana, which inspired the richly envisioned setting, and there are a number of pictures in the back of her travels there. The reader isn’t hit over the head with lessons and morals, but there are plenty of good messages and behavior shown, whether it’s sharing with new friends or being open to new experiences. I want to live in a village like this one!

New Shoes by Sara Varon is a fantastic book that explores the ideas of fair trade, business ethics and creative footwear. It also give a little insight into the different types of animals who live in the jungle. New Shoes not only teaches but also inspires the reader to take an adventure and try something new. It is sweet and insightful. This graphic novel will be interesting to a wide range of readers from Children to Adults.

Francis the Donkey is the best shoemaker in his village, using the finest materials to handcraft beautiful shoes. One day, he gets the most exciting news: his favorite calypso singer, Miss Manatee, is coming to sing in his village, and she wants him to create a special pair of new shoes just for her! He's so excited, but he's out of the special tiger grass that's integral to his shoe designs. He asks his friend and supplier, Nigel the Squirrel Monkey, to go into the jungle and get some more tiger grass, but when Monkey doesn't come back as expected, Francis has to go find him... will he get back to his village AND be able to make Miss Manatee's shoes on time?

I am a Sara Varon fan. I loved Sweater Weather, and my library kids adore Robot Dreams. I love her cartoony illustration, her bright colors, and in the case of New Shoes, the deeper messages found in her story. Francis is a genuinely kind character who is mortified when he discovers that his shoe materials have been acquired via shady means, and immediately sets to putting things right. When Francis realizes he has to make special accommodations for his newest client, he does the work, researching how to make the best footwear for Miss Manatee. Nigel is big enough to admit his mistakes, apologizes, and helps Francis grow his own materials responsibly. There are strong messages about fair trade and honesty, good business practices, sustainability, and consideration of others' differences to be found here, all told in a story that kids can understand without dumbing down the message. It's smart storytelling with a social conscience that respects the reader. What more can you ask from your books?

I can't wait to put New Shoes on my graphic novel shelves. It's got a little nonfiction snuck in, as Francis travels, with his guide book, through the South American jungle and encounters such inhabitants as the capybara, jaguar, and three-toed sloth; it's got a moral compass, a main character who loves calypso music, and it's just fun reading.

I had a visceral dislike of the art in this book. The story was very circular, but I can see its appeal for kids.

I love Sara Varon. There is something about her artwork that just tickles me, and her stories tend to be a lovely mixture of strange and sweet that always hit great notes. I'm looking forward to seeing the art in this book in person.

Great book! I loved the creativity in here. I'll be sure to share with teachers as a STEM read.

This is a super cute story about friendship, doing the right thing, and environmental sustainability -- with an added bonus of quick introductions to unique plants and animals. Adorable. :)

Sara Varon weaves her travel experiences into her most dynamic new graphic novel! Endearing characters, invitations to learn, daring adventures and some lessons learned are all pact into this brilliant book!

New Shoes would be a great graphic novel for beginning readers. The text was simple and not much on a page but the story was fun and engaging and moved quickly. The depth of factual information presented was also entertaining and a great addition to the book. I appreciated the backstory in the post script and setting all the actual photos used for inspiration.