New Shoes by Sara Varon (review)

Donkey Francis is the shoemaker par excellence in his village at the edge of a South American jungle. All the animals admire his sturdy, beautifully embellished footwear, custom made to fit any claw or hoof, and now famous calypso singer Miss Manatee sends her agent to order a pair for an upcoming concert. Nigel, the monkey who trades in the jungle and brings back special grass for the shoe uppers, hasn't returned, so Francis and Rhoda the parrot take off to find him. Most of the animals they meet are friendly herbivores, more than happy to help them along their way, but when they finally find Nigel, he's being held by a trio of carnivores, led by Harriet the leopard. The big cat has no plans to eat Nigel, though; as an amateur botanist, she's upset he's been stealing her grass. She's reasonably forgiving of Nigel's trespass, and the "find Nigel" plotline is resolved without incident—but the big question remains: how do you make footwear for a manatee? The solution to that problem is quite delightful, and it follows logically from the lessons Francis quietly learns as he experiences new creatures and settings on his journey. Readers of Robot Dreams (BCCB 11/07) or Chicken & Cat (BCCB 3/06) will settle right in to the chipper domesticated menagerie that comprises Varon's graphic novel casts. Best of all, they'll enjoy comparing appended photographs from Varon's trip to Guyana with specific scenes of flora, fauna, and village life within her artwork. EB