There was once a poor little girl called Karen. In summer, she walked barefoot and in winter, she wore clogs that hurt her feet. She had no choice, it was all she had. Dame Shoemaker wanted to help her and sewed, as best she could, a pair of red shoes. When she wore them for the first time, Karen’s life took an unexpected turn. Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, poet and artist. Celebrated for children’s literature, his most cherished fairy tales include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Little Mermaid", "The Nightingale", "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Match Girl". His books have been translated into every living language, and today there is no child or adult that has not met Andersen's whimsical characters. His fairy tales have been adapted to stage and screen countless times, most notably by Disney with the animated films "The Little Mermaid" in 1989 and "Frozen", which is loosely based on "The Snow Queen", in 2013. Thanks to Andersen's contribution to children's literature, his birth date, April 2, is celebrated as International Children's Book Day.

Red shoes glowing--Perched on a pedestal in the shop windowas if on a throne."I want those, Nana," Malika says, as they pass the shop."We'll see," Nana says with a wink. "Looks like you could use a new pair." Malika is delighted when Nana surprises her with a beautiful new pair of red shoes! And with a click-clack-click and a swish, swish, swish, Malika wears her wonderful new shoes everywhere she goes. But one day, the shoes begin to pinch Malika's toes. And alas, they don't let her forget that her feet have grown! Soon Malika and Nana are off to the Rare Finds Resale Shop, where the shoes can be resold -- so somebody else can enjoy them!Who will be the next to wear the red shoes? Malika wonders.Then Inna Ziya buys the shoes, and readers follow the shoes all the way across the world to Ghana in Africa, where Amina, another little girl, who has fasted her first time for Ramadan is about to get an amazing gift!Karen English and Ebony Glenn have crafted a satisfying and heartwarming story about a pair of shoes, two girls, and a connection they share across continents.

As the child of peasants, Karen grew up with a pair of simple red shoes. Then, when her parents died, Karen was adopted by a rich old woman who gave Karen a new pair of red shoes that would make princesses green with envy. This newfound wealth causes Karen to forget her humble origins and grow up to become a cruel and vain adult. Then, one day, the red shoes that sparked her greed come to life and steer Karen down a path she never would have imagined in her wildest dreams. This volume also includes Metaphrog's adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, "The Little Match Girl" and a tale of their own invention, "The Glass Case".

From one of Australia's finest writers for young people comes this evocative novel juxtaposing the inner life of three girls, the undercurrents of their parents' marriage and the political dramas of the adult world.

Are you ready for the coziest book of the year, with the charm of a modern-day Beatrix Potter? Pull up your comfiest chair, snuggle under a warm blanket, and discover the peaceful, enchanting world of Ruby Red Shoes and her grandmother, where friends are always welcome. Ruby Red Shoes is a thoughtful bunny who lives in a colorful painted caravan with her beloved grandmother. She is gentle and kind and cares for all living things. She loves strawberry jam, peppermint tea, long baths, and her wonderful pet chickens! Children just learning to read on their own will treasure this beautiful story that they can read on their own or enjoy as a read-aloud. Teeming with whimsy, Ruby's mindful, tranquil world embraces the reader like a warm hug. And bedtimes will be gentle, sweet moments, as young readers see Ruby and her grandmother tucked in with a book and a favorite quilt, watching the magical stars twinkle in the velvety sky. Once you've made friends with Ruby Red Shoes, you'll have a friend for life. "As a student of pleasant companionship, mindful existence, and living one’s best life, Ruby Red Shoes excels, paws down."—Publishers Weekly "Everything about this book asks readers to go slowly, to put aside the expected, and to savor the simplicity of the moment."—Kirkus

The classic story of a gifted dancer caught between two men and the greatest love of her life, the ballet.