This story is a great read to a class of young students who need a fast and fun one. The pictures are done in color and the style is playful and inviting. Read it anytime, really, but it's an end of the year classic. An old shoemaker has one strap of leather left and will get to it in the morning, but elves fashion fine shoes from it overnight. New materials are bought from the sale and this goes on for a while until the elves receive gifts from the shoemaker and his wife. This is a great warm and cheerful story about the value of skills and work. ( )

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Picture book
Grade: K-3
Traditional literature
This story is very short and is about two little elves who decide to help out a poor shoemaker and his wife. One night before bed the shoe maker leaves out cut leather to make shoes out of in the morning. It is his last bit of leather because he is so poor. He desperately needs to make a good pair of shoes out of it s that he can sell it and get back on his feet. That night for whatever reason, I think it is plain generosity, two elves sneak in the house and make a perfect pair of shoes out of the leather. The shoemaker is startled in the morning. He does not know who made the shoes but they sell. This happens multiple times and eventually the shoemaker finds out it is the elves doing. The theme of kindness comes into play when the shoemaker decided that the elves had been so wonderful and helpful that he and he wife make them winter clothes for Christmas. I found it very curious that after the elves took their gifts they were never seen again. Wouldn't they want to continue helping the shoe maker even more since he gave them such beautiful clothes? But instead they disappeared. When the elves put on their new clothes they look at one another and sang, "what fine and handsome elves we are, no longer cobblers we will be. From now on we'll dance and play, Into the woods and far away." Although after this night the elves never helped the shoe maker again, the help that he was given did not go unappreciated. The elves had helped the shoemaker get back on his feet financially so that he could continue making shoes to sell. The shoemaker and his wife would be forever grateful for the help and generosity that they received. ( )

A Classic fairy tale about a shoe maker that is down on his luck until he awakes one morning to find a fine pair of shoes appear like magic on his work table where leather had been the night before. This pattern continues until one night the shoemaker and his wife hide in a closet to see who has been making the shoes that have made them so rich. When they see that it is elves, they want to do something nice for them so they make them a fine set of clothes to keep them warm. On Christmas Eve they leave the clothes out for the elves that are overjoyed with their new apparel and sing and dance their way into the forest never to be seen again.

I love the way the story shoes how helping someone else can make you feel good. That it is nice to do things for others and not expect payment in return. The elves were making the shoes with the leather the shoemaker cut out simply because that is what they did, they were cobblers. They had hardly any clothes on their back but they continued to help the shoemaker. Likewise the shoemaker and his wife wanted to do something nice for the elves and made them clothing. In the end everyone was happy and successful all because they helped someone.

1. This book could be used to introduce a unit on fairy tales. This is obviously not a true story but has a great moral.
2. This book could be used to discuss how kindness is best repaid with kindness. The elves would not have benefited from payment, nor did they ask for it but they greatly appreciated the clothing. Students could brainstorm ways that they can help out at home or around the classroom. ( )

6 copies

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