New Shoes By Sara Varon

“New Shoes” By Sara Varon hits a soft spot in our house as we all love shoes, each and every one of us, so we knew that this graphic novel was going to get picked up and read rather quickly. The characters that Sara Varon has created are unique and the artwork colorful. Luciana was quite animated in her retelling of the story to us.

From Sara Varon (Robot Dreams, Bake Sale) comes New Shoes, a heartwarming graphic novel about a donkey on a quest to make the perfect pair of shoes.
Francis the donkey is the best shoemaker in the village. He uses only the finest materials: coconut wood for the soles, goat’s wool for the insoles, and wild tiger grass for the uppers.

One day he receives a special order from his favorite singer: Miss Manatee, the queen of calypso. But he’s all out of tiger grass! To make the perfect pair of shoes, Francis must journey deep into the jungle . . . and that means leaving his village for the first time.

In New Shoes, Sara Varon takes us on a vivid journey into the jungles of South America. From the capybara to the jaguar to the three-toed sloth, Francis meets a variety of animals outside his neighborhood. They’re not so scary when you get to know them!

Luciana V gives her take on the book with the new Five Questions format below:

Why did you like the book?
Because I like shoes

Did you like the drawings in the book?
Yes, because they kind of look like real animals, but they also look cartoony

What is one thing you would ask the author if you could talk to her?
Why did you write this book and how did you get the idea for the characters?

If the main character in that story lived next door, would you be friends?
Yes, because he makes his own shoes, and I would like to borrow some

If you had to describe this book in one word, what word would you choose
Journey