Louise the Big Cheese and the La-di-da Shoes

December 7, 2009
In her second appearance, Louise longs for a pair of “La-di-da shoes,” to make people think she “lived in a mansion, wore gold underwear, and had two ponies in her backyard.” But she's thwarted at every turn: her older sister won't share her shoes, and Louise's mother buys her a pair of everyday treads. Following a tiff with her friend Fern, Louise learns the value of comfortable footwear. Blithe artwork makes the lighthearted moral easy to swallow. Ages 5–up.

February 1, 2010
K-Gr 2-Louise Cheese wants wants a change from the same old, boring clothes, especially her brown-laced school shoes with sticky rubber soles that squeak when she walks. What she wants is a pair of black and sparkly shoes so she can go to Paris fashion shows. Louise tries to convince her friend Fern to get rid of her grass-stained sneakers for a pair of "la-di-da" shoes as well. When she and her mother go shopping, she has great hopes, but she ends up with another pair of brown-laced school shoes. The next morning, Fern is wearing black-leather pumps with sparkles on the toes, and Louise is jealous. When school ends for the day, Louise offers the olive branch by suggesting they walk home together, but Fern can't move. Her shoes are scuffed and ruined and her feet hurt, so they trade, and Louise discovers that her feet hurt, too. Louise is a lovable, spunky character with big dreams. The bright, expressive illustrations, filled with splashes of hot pinks and dialogue balloons, capture her personality to the fullest. Girls will appreciate her feelings, dilemmas, and desire for "la-di-da" shoes."Linda Staskus, Parma Regional Library, OH"

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