Ariba: An Old Tale About New Shoes

Marcus is enormously pleased with his new shoes, which “lit up and flashed in two colors.” Bold colors and crisply edged graphic shapes show Marcus in his room, his shoes glowing through the fabric of his play tent. Marcus’s grandfather duly admires them, then offers to share a story of his own about shoes. Ariba, a child of color like Marcus, also has treasured footwear: green tie-up shoes his parents bought too big so that Ariba would be able to wear them for a long time. His shoes lead him on adventures throughout his village: “I’ve heard they even led him to track down the village robber,” the storyteller says, as a red fox stealing a hen is seen with Ariba’s green-shod feet in pursuit. When Ariba grows older and moves from his village to a city, his tastes change, and he resolves to get rid of his shoes. Instead, a series of sweetly comic encounters show his neighbors inadvertently thwarting his plan—and continually reconnecting him with his old shoes and his past. Debut creator Manapov’s story within a story spotlights the warmth of close-knit communities, and her artwork bursts with motion and color. Ages 6–10. [em](Nov.) [/em]