Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 2?Brief texts introduce their title topics, but it is really the rich, full-color photos from around the world that tell the stories. Unfortunately, the countries are not identified in the body of the book; instead, readers must turn to the index, which features a reduced print of each shot and an accompanying sentence or two identifying the location and giving a bit more information. There is also a map of the world indicating the setting of each photo. Shoes is loosely organized into categories such as working shoes, dancing shoes, shoes for ice or snow, and anytime-at-all shoes. It's an interesting way to take an armchair tour, and could be used to spark a geography, social studies, or multicultural unit. Margaret Miller's Whose Shoe? (Greenwillow, 1991) and Ron Roy's Whose Shoes Are These? (Clarion, 1991) both examine only function and not location. In Weddings, dress and customs are appealingly displayed in the stunning candid shots of a variety of ceremonies and receptions. The facts provided are so sparse, however, that the book won't satisfy curious children. This is not as successful as Morris's Tools or Houses and Homes (both Lothrop, 1992), or Shoes; nor does it have as logical curricular applications. While attractive, both books are more for browsing than for garnering information.?Peg Glisson, Dewitt Road School, Webster, NYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. About the Author Ann Morris's many books include