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Fairy Tales
Taming of the Shoe
Arminita Robicheaux—Cinderella’s daughter—discovers that the best way to happily ever after is doing what you can to make your own fairy tale come true in this enchanting follow-up to Charmed, I’m Sure that’s perfect for fans of The Descendants!
Arminita Robicheaux is convinced her parents are out to ruin her life. Not only did they move Minty to New York City right before the school year started, but her mom’s late-night infomercials for a variety of cleaning products follow Minty wherever she goes. Oh, and did she mention that her mother happens to be Ella Robicheaux—a.k.a. Cinderella?
And Minty’s eccentric aunties—who may or may not have made Ella clean and wait on them while growing up—decide to cast Minty’s entire class in their new commercial for their “Comfortably Ever After” shoe line, complete with raps that make Minty want to run far, far away.
But Minty’s new friend has a perfect distraction; the boy-band mega-star Theo Downy who is staying in town for a series of concerts. If Minty can find a way to get her shoe designs in front of Theo, maybe she can get tickets to the sold-out show. Of course, things don’t go according to plan, and Minty ends up leaving a big clue behind…
Like mother, like daughter!
Arminita Robicheaux is convinced her parents are out to ruin her life. Not only did they move Minty to New York City right before the school year started, but her mom’s late-night infomercials for a variety of cleaning products follow Minty wherever she goes. Oh, and did she mention that her mother happens to be Ella Robicheaux—a.k.a. Cinderella?
And Minty’s eccentric aunties—who may or may not have made Ella clean and wait on them while growing up—decide to cast Minty’s entire class in their new commercial for their “Comfortably Ever After” shoe line, complete with raps that make Minty want to run far, far away.
But Minty’s new friend has a perfect distraction; the boy-band mega-star Theo Downy who is staying in town for a series of concerts. If Minty can find a way to get her shoe designs in front of Theo, maybe she can get tickets to the sold-out show. Of course, things don’t go according to plan, and Minty ends up leaving a big clue behind…
Like mother, like daughter!
- GenresMiddle GradeChildrens
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2019
3 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Darer Littman
15 books522 followersSarah Darer Littman is an award-winning author of books for teens. She lives in Connecticut, in a house that never seems to have enough bookshelves.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 12, 2020
Taming of the Shoe by Sarah Darer Littman, 230 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2019. $18
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Araminta’s parents have moved her from their family’s European castle to New York City at the start of the school year in order to launch her mother’s cleaning supply business into the national spotlight. When your mother is Cinderella, you’d think your life would be much more glamorous, right? But her parents are headed back to Europe for an important trade show, leaving Minty on the care of her step-aunts. The Aunts are making their fortune through their line of ultra-comfortable (if ultra-ugly) shoes. Mostly importantly, however, Minty is obsessed with megastar Theo Downey coming to town. The only tickets seem to be available through a contest – and popular Eva knows just what to do. Her new friends have warned Minty away from supposed mean girl Eva, but Minty is desperate.
Forgive my ungraceful summary. This is the third in a series, but you don’t need to have read the other books to understand this one. The story doesn’t need the fairy tale connections to be a good story, but it is fun to see how Littman weaves those familiar characters in.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Araminta’s parents have moved her from their family’s European castle to New York City at the start of the school year in order to launch her mother’s cleaning supply business into the national spotlight. When your mother is Cinderella, you’d think your life would be much more glamorous, right? But her parents are headed back to Europe for an important trade show, leaving Minty on the care of her step-aunts. The Aunts are making their fortune through their line of ultra-comfortable (if ultra-ugly) shoes. Mostly importantly, however, Minty is obsessed with megastar Theo Downey coming to town. The only tickets seem to be available through a contest – and popular Eva knows just what to do. Her new friends have warned Minty away from supposed mean girl Eva, but Minty is desperate.
Forgive my ungraceful summary. This is the third in a series, but you don’t need to have read the other books to understand this one. The story doesn’t need the fairy tale connections to be a good story, but it is fun to see how Littman weaves those familiar characters in.
Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
February 27, 2020
The "Taming of the Shoe" by Sarah Darer Littman is a story about a young girl named Araminta who is uprooted from her royal kingdom and moved to New York City where she has to start a new school. At the beginning of the second week of school, Minty's parents are leaving her with her step aunts while they go onto global domination of cleaning products. Minty does not want to have to spend the week with her step aunts because of how they used to treat her mother. With a surprise shoe design commercial, Minty becomes popular at school with the popular girl. They make a plan to get her shoe designs to her favorite band to see them live, and throughout their plan her sketches are stolen, she has to run from an old lady at the hotel, and looses her shoe. She is devastated by her sketches being stolen by her 'friend', and comes up with an idea to prove that they are hers - a sketch off. This story has twists of different fairy tales and Shakespeare references, and would be a good book to use in the classroom when teaching post modern books, and what they consist of.
December 2, 2019
In this third updated fairy tale by Littman, Cinderella’s daughter Araminta, called Minty, moves to NYC and learns about friendship and family. Minty is not too happy to be starting class at a new middle school when her parents relocate to New York to further their successful cleaning products business. To make matters worse, they take off for a conference and leave her in the care of her mother’s stepsisters Lottie and Margeaux. The formerly evil stepsisters have found fame with their Comfortably Ever After shoes which they promote with viral advertisements in which they rap while wearing hideously ugly outfits. How can Minty start fresh with such an embarrassingly famous family? Minty does meet some new friends, including the twin brother and sister whose father is Hansel, and Sleeping Beauty’s daughter Aria. But then she finds herself invited to join the A-list, Eva’s Elites, headed by the uber popular Eva Murgatroyd. Soon Eva is faced with a dilemma and finds herself torn between joining Eva for a chance to meet her boy band crush, or staying loyal to her other friends. This is a fun update of the fairytale that is sure to be popular.
August 3, 2019
[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
3.5 stars. A cute fairytale retelling, but with the second generation - Cinderella's daughter, "Minty." (I struggled all through the book to take that nickname seriously). This is a standard new girl/friendship story where the new girl has to choose between the friends she initially makes and the popular kids. And there are questions of what she is willing to do or give up to stay "popular." I wasn't 100% sold on the boy band concert and shoe design competition plot working together, but all the shoe pieces were fun and I loved Minty's step-aunts. Fans of Whatever After and/or Ever After High should check out this fun story and the other two books in the series.
3.5 stars. A cute fairytale retelling, but with the second generation - Cinderella's daughter, "Minty." (I struggled all through the book to take that nickname seriously). This is a standard new girl/friendship story where the new girl has to choose between the friends she initially makes and the popular kids. And there are questions of what she is willing to do or give up to stay "popular." I wasn't 100% sold on the boy band concert and shoe design competition plot working together, but all the shoe pieces were fun and I loved Minty's step-aunts. Fans of Whatever After and/or Ever After High should check out this fun story and the other two books in the series.
May 6, 2021
I was expecting a headache from reading this book, but I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
I liked how it was so relatable!!!!!!!
The reason why I put it on my books-that-made-me-feel-something shelf is because it lit a small fire inside of me towards Eva, because she's such a little b-! Brat! I meant to say brat. Hah, obviously!
I would have appreciated a little more on Minty's crush, Dakota, because he seemed like a really minor character throughout the whole book, so I would have just liked a little more depth on his character.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but I bet most other people will disagree with me.
P.S. The Retro of Sync band kind of reminded me of Julie and the Phantoms...
Note: This would make a really good rainy day book to read in one sitting. :)
I liked how it was so relatable!!!!!!!
The reason why I put it on my books-that-made-me-feel-something shelf is because it lit a small fire inside of me towards Eva, because she's such a little b-! Brat! I meant to say brat. Hah, obviously!
I would have appreciated a little more on Minty's crush, Dakota, because he seemed like a really minor character throughout the whole book, so I would have just liked a little more depth on his character.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but I bet most other people will disagree with me.
P.S. The Retro of Sync band kind of reminded me of Julie and the Phantoms...
Note: This would make a really good rainy day book to read in one sitting. :)
May 8, 2020
I absolutely love this series. TAMING OF THE SHOE is a delightful page turner! I simply couldn't wait to find out what happened next to Minty on her misadventures. I also love the way the middle school experience is explored. Sarah Darer Littman knows how to weave a funny, exciting and captivating tale!
On a side note, I also read this book aloud to my almost 6 year old daughter, at her request. While she was definitely a bit too young for everything in the book, she really enjoyed listening to it-- and we would read entire chapters in one sitting. I know she will be re-reading this book on her own when she is older.
On a side note, I also read this book aloud to my almost 6 year old daughter, at her request. While she was definitely a bit too young for everything in the book, she really enjoyed listening to it-- and we would read entire chapters in one sitting. I know she will be re-reading this book on her own when she is older.
September 29, 2025
fun read using elements of classic storytales
February 21, 2024
Probably my least favorite out of the series
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews