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Running Shoes
Sophy's secret wish is to be able to go to school one day. But Sophy and her mother live in a poor village in Cambodia where there is no doctor, no hospital, and no school. When Sophy receives a pair of running shoes, her life changes forever.
Hardcover
First published September 7, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 28, 2014
My 5 year old brought this delightful book home from the school library and I choked up reading it halfway through. The children asked me why I was crying and I told them it was because it was so beautiful and the protagonist worked so hard to get an education against all odds.
Congratulations Frederick on a wonderful story!
Congratulations Frederick on a wonderful story!
December 26, 2017
Lipp, Frederick Running Shoes, illustrated by Jason Gaillard. Charlesbridge, 2008. PICTURE BOOK.
Sophy's wish is to attend school eight kilometers away through the jungle and over streams and sharp, red rocks. On his current visit, the government census taker learns of Sophy's dream, measures her foot, and promises to send a surprise. With new running shoes Sophy proves herself not only by braving the distance alone, but also by courageously attending an all-boy school and outrunning every single fellow student.
Through lyrical text and beautiful paintings, "author Fredrick Lipp and illustrator Jason Gaillard create an empowering story of hope and determination set in the countryside of Cambodia." This book is for everyone; it made me cry.
EL - ESSENTIAL; MS - ADVISABLE (for TA program). Reviewer: BS
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
Sophy's wish is to attend school eight kilometers away through the jungle and over streams and sharp, red rocks. On his current visit, the government census taker learns of Sophy's dream, measures her foot, and promises to send a surprise. With new running shoes Sophy proves herself not only by braving the distance alone, but also by courageously attending an all-boy school and outrunning every single fellow student.
Through lyrical text and beautiful paintings, "author Fredrick Lipp and illustrator Jason Gaillard create an empowering story of hope and determination set in the countryside of Cambodia." This book is for everyone; it made me cry.
EL - ESSENTIAL; MS - ADVISABLE (for TA program). Reviewer: BS
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
February 23, 2022
There was a girl that lived in village that lived with her mom when a man comes once a year to count the people for the government. She admired his running shoes and soon in the mail she received a pair for herself. With her shoes she wanted to go to school and her mother allowed her and she went to school. She was the only girl and she proved herself for winning a race and being there early. A year later the man came and she showed him that she can read and write. She got inspired to having the goal to have a school house and become a teacher because of a pair of running shoes. I like how the illustrations of the people and background look realistic. I like how just a pair of running shoes that most people take for granted makes a lot happen for one girl.The pair of shoes did not change her.
March 6, 2020
KS2 - Good to show how hard some people have to and are willing to work for their education because of a need motivating them.
Reminded me of the school being set up in Cambodia, funded by one particular tour guide who came from the fishing village there and giving part of the profits back to the village to help the school for the students to learn to read and write in English so they'd be more employable and likely to earn more.
Good starting point for discussions and cros-curricular links
The little boy in the class for teased the girl for coming was being taught by a female teacher - ironic.
- Value of education
- Geography
-Social and economic factors
- Culture
Reminded me of the school being set up in Cambodia, funded by one particular tour guide who came from the fishing village there and giving part of the profits back to the village to help the school for the students to learn to read and write in English so they'd be more employable and likely to earn more.
Good starting point for discussions and cros-curricular links
The little boy in the class for teased the girl for coming was being taught by a female teacher - ironic.
- Value of education
- Geography
-Social and economic factors
- Culture
June 24, 2018
Pretty good book overall. It's simple enough for a very young audience.
However, since it was so short and simple, I felt it did not truly capture how hard it is for kids to get an education in other countries. The main character had only one problem, and it was immediately solved.
I was looking for kids' books on education for a project, and this book met the criteria to be in the project.
However, since it was so short and simple, I felt it did not truly capture how hard it is for kids to get an education in other countries. The main character had only one problem, and it was immediately solved.
I was looking for kids' books on education for a project, and this book met the criteria to be in the project.
September 10, 2017
This is a good read for students on the theme of determination. It's also a good way to start a conversation with kids about perspective taking and being cognizant of the many opportunities that we too often take for granted.
November 8, 2017
I think the number man is really nice.
October 18, 2024
Beautiful story about passion and dreams. If you want something you may reach it no matter how hard the path would be. Once the dream comes true find another one and go with the same passion
April 20, 2016
How accurate are representations of language, culture, setting, and relationships?
Sophy is from a small rural village in Cambodia. Her mother is her only family and they spend much of their time working in the fields trying to pay for their lifestyle. Sophy and her family do not live a very luxurious lifestyle so when the mail messenger arrives with a pair of running shoes for Sophy she is thrilled.
• Are characters fully realized and shown to have agency?
Sophy and her mother's character are most realized, since they are the main characters. The man who brings Sophy her running shoes is a messenger who travels all over Cambodia delivering mail. Sophy sees him as a very important person because he can read and write.
• How is difference constructed, and what does it mean for a character’s belonging in an unequal world?
In Sophy's village, children and women are mostly workers for much of their lives. In this story, since Sophy's family lacks a father figure, her family works twice as hard to obtain financial and educational success. The school that Sophy wants to attend is not in her village but miles away. There is no money for public transportation (nor are there many cars in her village). Sophy takes advantage of her gift (the shoes) by running to school every single day.
• How is material wealth acknowledged or taken for granted in a story, especially at a time of extreme poverty for fully a third of the children living in the US?
In this story, the main characters suffer from living in a state with a lack of modern infrastructure, transportation and job opportunities. Since Sophy and her family live in rural Cambodia, their work is limited due to to the change of seasons and can change at any time due to harsh weather and natural disasters. The educated man who brings Sophy her shoes brings Sophy a new sense of hope for herself. While I can personally confess, as a child, I never fantasized about getting myself a new pair of sneakers. This gift is something special for a person like Sophy (who usually walked around in sandals or barefoot).
• How are disparities in the funding and support of community infrastructures acknowledged? Are inequities seen to have a material effect on children’s opportunities to explore and become their fullest selves?
Since the village was so poor, Sophy's character did not have the hope she needed to leave her town. It was not until Sophy met the messenger man, who drove in a car, that she realized that there was something outside of her small town. When he returned to her village, with the shoes, her hope was reignited in her. Her drive to go to school was strengthened now that she had the opportunity to actually travel to the local school.
Sophy is from a small rural village in Cambodia. Her mother is her only family and they spend much of their time working in the fields trying to pay for their lifestyle. Sophy and her family do not live a very luxurious lifestyle so when the mail messenger arrives with a pair of running shoes for Sophy she is thrilled.
• Are characters fully realized and shown to have agency?
Sophy and her mother's character are most realized, since they are the main characters. The man who brings Sophy her running shoes is a messenger who travels all over Cambodia delivering mail. Sophy sees him as a very important person because he can read and write.
• How is difference constructed, and what does it mean for a character’s belonging in an unequal world?
In Sophy's village, children and women are mostly workers for much of their lives. In this story, since Sophy's family lacks a father figure, her family works twice as hard to obtain financial and educational success. The school that Sophy wants to attend is not in her village but miles away. There is no money for public transportation (nor are there many cars in her village). Sophy takes advantage of her gift (the shoes) by running to school every single day.
• How is material wealth acknowledged or taken for granted in a story, especially at a time of extreme poverty for fully a third of the children living in the US?
In this story, the main characters suffer from living in a state with a lack of modern infrastructure, transportation and job opportunities. Since Sophy and her family live in rural Cambodia, their work is limited due to to the change of seasons and can change at any time due to harsh weather and natural disasters. The educated man who brings Sophy her shoes brings Sophy a new sense of hope for herself. While I can personally confess, as a child, I never fantasized about getting myself a new pair of sneakers. This gift is something special for a person like Sophy (who usually walked around in sandals or barefoot).
• How are disparities in the funding and support of community infrastructures acknowledged? Are inequities seen to have a material effect on children’s opportunities to explore and become their fullest selves?
Since the village was so poor, Sophy's character did not have the hope she needed to leave her town. It was not until Sophy met the messenger man, who drove in a car, that she realized that there was something outside of her small town. When he returned to her village, with the shoes, her hope was reignited in her. Her drive to go to school was strengthened now that she had the opportunity to actually travel to the local school.
March 29, 2016
I read this book as an example of a children's book that deals with critical issues. I think this would be a good books to talk or teach about 3 certain issues that we deal with in this world. This book is about a young girl that lives in a poorer village, and a man comes in and is doing a census (pretty much just counting how many people live there). The young girls father had died, and she was also admiring the mans shoes. So that man changes the subject and measures her foot and sends her a surprise a month later. The reason she wanted the shoes was so she could go to school. Once she gets to the school its is a school with all boys and they make-fun of her and so-on.
This teaches children about something they may not talk about everyday. The critical issues are poverty, death and gender equality. I think this book is a good way to start a conversation about these problems we have in our world, without being harsh about it or anything. Also the book ends in a very cute heartwarming way.
This teaches children about something they may not talk about everyday. The critical issues are poverty, death and gender equality. I think this book is a good way to start a conversation about these problems we have in our world, without being harsh about it or anything. Also the book ends in a very cute heartwarming way.
June 3, 2016
This one hit me in the heart: young girl gets a pair of running shoes to follow her dream...reader thinks it's to run, but it's really to get to school so she can become literate. School is 8k away so she has to hustle to get there on time. Maybe not the highest quality, but the storytelling did it for me.
I'd really love this book if I got a little more background info. Was this a real child? What was this based on? Did any of this really happen? Why are there only boys in the school? I think any of that, and more, would've really added to the experience. But, I almost never log a picture book, and here I am, so it is definitely worth it. Especially if you are both a runner and reader, and want girls in schools! :-)
(Tagging it with "girls" as I think it's part of a girls's rights movement, NOT because it's a book only for girls!!!)
I'd really love this book if I got a little more background info. Was this a real child? What was this based on? Did any of this really happen? Why are there only boys in the school? I think any of that, and more, would've really added to the experience. But, I almost never log a picture book, and here I am, so it is definitely worth it. Especially if you are both a runner and reader, and want girls in schools! :-)
(Tagging it with "girls" as I think it's part of a girls's rights movement, NOT because it's a book only for girls!!!)
December 31, 2011
Really a very lovely book. It starts and ends with intriguing end papers and has a nice, simply told but moving story. If anything, it might border on the edge of sappy and the tidy conclusion might not be super realistic but the right sentiment for a children's story is there. One of the things that I especially liked is that Gaillard, despite not appearing to be Cambodian, has portrayed the people in this book, even the background characters, as individuals with strength, pride, and joy. I did question if the all-boy school room would be typical since it isn't mentioned in the text and Lipp seems to be the one with expertise on Cambodia. Anyway, I like to see books that feature other countries respectfully and without an overly-long text.
June 17, 2009
maggie and i really like this book, picked it out in chicago from the book cellar. the pics and story were quite moving to me, and yes, did make me cry. no real surprises there. the emphasis here i think is on the extreme value of learning, and the vehicle that takes us there. in this case it is shoes, a very literal metaphor for the achieving of ones goal. i like the imagery this conjures up and the way that running can be used to think of working torwards something that is so far as to be almost inattainable.
September 21, 2011
Sophy is a little girl who lives in a small village in what I assume is southeast Asia. Every year "the number man" comes to count the villagers. When Sophy stares at his running shoes, he measures her feet and sends her a pair. Does she want running shoes so she can run? Not exactly - she wants them so that she can go to school and learn to read and write. A beautiful story with an ending that brought tears to my eyes.
February 25, 2012
A beautiful children's picture book about the power of young girl's will and the adult she saw once a year who empowered her to chase her dream. I was overwhelmed by little Sophy's determination and the way one man helped the fatherless girl with a simple gift that she turned into something much, much larger. Tremendous story.
December 4, 2013
Final Project: Thought this was a great book the story line of the book was amazing and can be inspiring for little girls anywhere. I liked how it shows a little girls wishing for one thing and when that one thing comes true she wishes again from something bigger. This shoes little girls that just because one wish came true you don't stop dreaming more good things can happen.
May 7, 2014
Mrs Sledge shared this wonderful story set in Cambodia in assembly. As we are approaching sports day at our school we talked about aspirations and pursuing our dreams and goals. This book underlined the importance of helping others and how this can make such a difference in the world.
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April 1, 2016Sophy lives in Cambodia in a poor family. She dreams of going to school but it is to far away. One day she sees a man with running shoes and loves the idea of them. When she receives a pair she starts running and soon convinces her mom that they are so fast, she will be able to run to school.
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August 27, 2008recommended by Global Society - Older Picture Book -- gift of a pair of running shoes allows sophy from cambodia to run to school every day.
December 10, 2009
"multicultural,"
September 12, 2016
I loved this book on many levels. What could be better than a book about running and literacy?
July 16, 2015
Great older grade read aloud.
September 30, 2015
Second/Third - ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHILDRENS' BOOKS! Shows in a wonderful story the important and how lucky children are to have an education.
February 9, 2010
A lovely, quiet little story with beautiful illustrations.
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January 31, 2018inspirational
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews