SUMMARY
The book was about a shoemaker and his wife who were poor and only had one piece of leather left to make one last pair of shoes for them to sell. The next morning when they woke up to a pair of shoes already made for them and they sold them and bought more leather to make more shoes. When the shoemaker left the leather on the table, he woke up again to find more shoes had been made. He and his wife stayed up to see who was making the shoes and to their suprise was a couple of elves. The shoemaker and his wife and with the help of the elves allowed them to make a successful shoe business.
PERSONAL REACTION
I thought the book was great and had fun reading it. The old couple was so sweet and calm even though they were poor. They maintained a positive attitude throughout the book. I enjoy reading books that have happy endings and this book had the perfect ending. The elves were a great addition to the book because they made the couple successful and they deserved to be happy. All the characters played their part and all had great talent.
CLASSROOM EXTENSION IDEAS
1. Have students make shoes out of fake leather and shoe strings for art activity.
2. Circle time book for lesson on folktales and their characters.
3. Create lesson plan on what a shoemaker does and visit a shoe store or shoe warehouse.

Summary: During hard times a shoemaker and his wife who were very poor and depended upon their leather to make shoes and sell them realized they only had one piece of leather left. Then magic happened when elves came along at night and made shoes for the couple while they slept, and in return the couple made them some clothes to show their thanks after they had plenty of money and built up their shoe business.

Personal Reaction: A story of how people can go from poor to rich,and how there comes a time to show your thankfulness when others help.Can teach the values of work , and keeps the reader interested with the magical tale of elves.

Extension: Have group discussion on working hard to get results, and show how some of their shoes are made of leather. Have piece of leather to let students feel and a shoe made of leather to pass around.

Summary: A shoemaker and his wife went from broke to rich by selling shoes that two little elves were secretly making in the middle of the night. The couple figured out it was the elves and decided to make them brand new clothes and shoes to replace the old turn up ones the elves were wearing.

Personal Reflection: When I first started reading this my first thought was that something bad was going to happen because the coup-le was profiting off of work that they themselves were not doing. So I was suprised by the ending.

Classroom Extention:
1) Have the students predict how the story will end.
2) Group project about ways the students can help their parents, their neighbors, their freinds, and their community.
3) Class discussion about ways to help and if/why helping others is important.

This tale is about a shoemaker who has trouble getting supplies and was very very poor. Then his luck changed when some elves helped make some shoes, which helped the shoe maker have a better life.

I love this book it teaches hard times are bad but helping other is the best award ever you can give to someone else.

In the classroom we could use this story as a lesson to the children. Telling the children that having hardtimes is not fun, but if you help any way you can makes that person feel better. ( )

A shoemaker and his wife became poor. He only had one piece of leather left, so he put in on the counter and said that he would make his last pair of shoes tomorrow. They woke up and there on the counter were a pair of shoes. He sold them for gold and got more leather. This continued for months. The shoemaker and his wife were very thankful for whoever was helping them, but they were also very curious. So they watched the next night and found out that two elves were making the shoes. They had tattered clothes, so to thank them the shoemaker and his wife made them clothes and shoes. The elves put the clothes and shoes on and danced and were happy. They never came back again and all lived very happily!

I loved this book. Its one of those books that you read as a little kid and then you grow up and have to read it again and still love it!

In the class we could maybe make paper shoes and design them. Talk to them about have hope and a positive look on life. ( )