A Pair of Red Clogs

For Mako, a little Japanese girl, the new shoes are clogs painted with red lacquer that shines beautifully. But after she cracks the new clogs playing the weather-telling game, she longs so much for a bright, shiny pair to replace them that she almost does a dishonest thing. The warmth and quiet understanding of the grandmother who recalls this story for her granddaughter makes "A Pair of Red Clogs" especially moving, while Kazue Mizumura's charming illustrations are as delicate and graceful as the story itself.