Centipede's One Hundred Shoes
PreSchool-Grade 1-After stubbing his toe on a pebble, a young centipede goes shoe shopping. Because he believes that shoes with laces are more "grown-up," his mother purchases 50 pairs to protect her son's feckless feet. He quickly discovers that there are 58 extra shoes, and his grandfather explains that most centipedes only have 42 legs. To make matters worse, the multi-legged critter painfully perceives that without socks the shoes hurt, which defeats their purpose. In addition, the excitement of so many new shoes is short-lived, as the poor arthropod learns that after rising in the morning, donning the footgear, and tying all those laces, it's time for bed. Deciding that they are just not worth the effort, he gives the shoes and newly knitted socks to friends, and the tale becomes a subtle lesson in elementary math. Discriminating readers will notice a concurrent, budding relationship between two ladybugs wordlessly unfolding in the background. Amusing pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, including a woebegone centipede with a turquoise head and five dangling spiders each sporting eight high-tops, add more droll humor to this delightful tale.Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WICopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.