Mom Knows!: Louise the Big Cheese and the La-Di-Da-Shoes by Elise Primavera

Move over, Imelda Marcos!

Well, Louise Cheese doesn't actually have lots of snazzy shoes in her closet, but it's not because she doesn't love fancy footwear. It's her mother, Mrs. Cheese, who thinks patent leather pumps with sparkles are inappropriate for third grade girls. A quick trip to the store for new school shoes bypasses the shiny, sparkly patent pumps Louis begs for, and she finds herself with yet another pair of brown leather lace-up oxfords with sticky soles that squeak.

At school the next day Louise tells her story to her best friend Fern, grumpily pointing out that Fern's dirty, juice-stained sneakers could use an upgrade, too. But then Fern shows up the next day in the very pair of sparkly la-di-da shoes that Louise craved. All day long Fern lords it over her and accepts the admiring glances of everyone while Louis is reduced to absolute shoe lust. Fern is the center of attention all day, and Louise finds herself in trouble with her teacher for quarreling with her former friend.

But the shoe is literally on the other foot when it's time for the two to walk home; Fern's feet are blistered from the patent pumps and their sparkle is badly compromised by a day at school.

"I guess a little LA-DI-DA goes a long way," Louise admits, as she thoughtfully lends Fern her comfy brown shoes and bravely wears the peeling patent leather pumps all the way to her friend's house. By the time they arrive, Louise's heels are noticeably sore, too, and the two girls re-bond as best friends with Band-Aids all around.

Elise Primavera's second story of the would-be glamorous gal with big aspirations, Louise the Big Cheese and the La-di-da Shoes, (Simon and Schuster, 2010) perfectly accessorized with Diane Goode's standout illustrations, is a funny and fitting followup for young fashionistas to her opening title in this series, Louise the Big Cheese: Divine Diva. (See my recent review here.)