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“One step can make a difference if it‘s in the right direction.”

“A step toward equality and standing up for what‘s right.“

Set during the segregation era, this empowering story of friendship and justice showcases two girls fighting for fairness when they can‘t try on shoes at a store.

“Ella knew that new shoes would make her feel special, especially in a world where she often felt invisible.”

This book would be useful in the classroom when discussing the Civil Rights Movement and racial segregation. It encourages critical thinking about social justice, economic inequality, and the importance of education.

Historical Fiction
Published 2014
This book tells the story of a young African American girl named Ella who wants a new pair of shoes to wear to school in the 1950s during the Civil Rights Movement. The details surrounding Ella's experiences, including her family's economic struggles and the significance of education ground the narrative in reality. The story shows how small moments can represent larger hopes for the future.

“Sometimes you gotta make your own way in the world.“ This is a great quote from the book because that is exactly what they did to conquer the difficult things they were experiencing.

I would use this book in my classroom to teach about determination and standing up for yourself when things aren't right.

New Shoes by Susan Meyer was published in 2014 and is historical fiction. It is time for Ella to get new shoes but when she and her mother arrive at the shoe store, Ella Mae is unable to try on the shoes because of her skin color. Ella and her friend work hard to collect and restore old shoes. Then the girls have their own shoe sale giving the other African American members of their community a place to buy shoes where they can be treated fairly.

Title: New Shoes
Author: Susan Lynn Meyer
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Published: January 23, 2015
Genre: Children's literature, Historical Fiction
Awards: Jane Addams Children‘s Book Award

Jane Addams Award Winner - This book was published January 23rd, 2015. This book is a very powerful book as well. It talks lots about Civil Rights and the experience of a family going through the times of the Jim Crow Laws. The character in the book got shoes handed down to her from her brother and she eventually has to adapt because they no longer fit her.

HF•Jane Addams Peace Association Children‘s Book Award•SR
Ella Mae is used to wearing hand me down shoes but when her latest pair is to tight, she‘s excited to get new shoes.
Activities: http://holidayhouse.com/docs/NewShoes_Ed%20Guide.pdf
EL: extra illustrations to go with the story
UDL:2.1
#UCFSU19

"Oh please sir, let me try on these shoes."

I feel like this would really speak to children because trying on shoes is something so normal to children.

I truly enjoyed and that this book was focused on two young girls in the South during the Civil Rights era because not only does it show a civil right movement but also shows feminism as two young girls find a way to obtain what they need. I like the simplistic message of Ella Mae wanting to try on shoes because it takes something realistic and elevates it to a story of racism. This will interest and inspire anybody who reads it.

Rating 4/5

#lae3414sp19 The picture book “New Shoes” written by Susan Lynn Meyer and illustrated by Eric Velasquez is a story about two young girls, Charlotte and Ella Mae, who are discriminated at a shoe store for the color of their skin. Because they did not like the situation, they created their own shoe store and sold their own outgrown shoes to their friends and neighbors. (cont. in comments)

A realistic fiction picture book, this is a great text to go along with your future unit plans about the civil rights era. Ella Mae, when faced with the harsh reality of discrimination, finds a way to show the world in a unique way how she responds to being treated unfairly. Teacher resource:https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?a=1&tid=41885 #UCFLAE3414sp17

My groovebags.com Book Lover shoes arrived!! Took these babies for a spin at the library, where I would look extra hip. Use code: foldedpages for 10% off your own pair!

A friend got these shoes today. Love.

I was the substitute librarian yesterday for a local elementary school and read this to the class. When I asked for their reactions, one beautiful 2nd grader raised his hand and said, "Some people think racism is over now, but that isn't true because lots of people still get treated differently because of the color of their skin." Preach, child, preach!