Sophy and her mother live in an isolated Cambodian village. When the numbers man—the man who counts how many people live in the village—arrives, he realizes that her father has recently died, and noticing how she gazes at his sneakers, he decides to give her a gift: running shoes. He doesn't know it, but now Sophy can go to school, even though it is a long journey from her village, because the shoes will protect her. After her mother gives permission, Sophy takes off—and meets with a group of male students who are not very happy to find a girl in their midst. But the teacher is kind and after a running race proves her prowess, Sophy is accepted. When the numbers man returns the following year, Sophy has learned enough to give him a gift of her own. Straightforward and accessible, this tale provides a memorable picture both of life in Cambodia and of one girl's struggle to obtain an education. Gaillard's realistic illustrations add a quiet, lyrical touch.

Sophy, who lives in modern-day Cambodia, is unable to attend school because it is eight kilometers away, and she has no shoes. After a census-taker from the city befriends her, sending her a pair of running shoes, Sophy courageously runs the distance to attend classes. Although her courage is further tested when she discovers she's the only girl in school, she puts her classmates in their place by beating them in foot races. When the census-taker returns the following year, Sophy expresses her dream of becoming a teacher. There's not much plot here, but the writing is beautiful, and the unfamiliar setting will intrigue many young listeners. Cultural items not mentioned in the text can be found in the uncluttered pictures, which feature characters with distinct personalities. This is a good example of a story with a universal message (finding courage to follow one's dreams) as it provides a window into an unfamiliar place and way of life.

When the "number man," a government census worker, comes to Sophy's village, he notices that she is admiring his running shoes and measures her footprints with a "stick with lots of numbers." A month later, the postal van delivers a pair of shoes for her, allowing her to run eight kilometers to a one-room schoolhouse. The only female student, Sophy gains acceptance among the boys by outrunning them. The next year, when the man returns, she writes her thanks in the sand and tells him that she wants to help her village build a school someday and teach there. Because the plain text mentions only a "hot and sunny" land with long rains and does not use such terms as "kampong" or "phnom" for this small, rural village in the mountains, readers probably will not identify the setting, although Cambodia is listed in the CIP data. The illustrations give general clues like mountains, a river that could be the Mekong, and workers in rice fields.

One stirring example of a division in a school being bridged is captured in Fred Lipp’s new picture book, Running Shoes (Charlesbridge, 2008). Fred is a retired minister who lives in western Maine and runs the nonprofit Cambodian Arts & Scholarship Foundation. He has also been involved with our Born to Read volunteer program. As an author, he is best known The Caged Birds of Phnom Penh, although Bread Story got a lot of attention in Portland, where it takes place. (It was one of the books on our very first monthly book list.)
Fred’s new book is the true story of Sophy, who lives in a tiny Cambodian village and longs to go to school. The nearest one-room schoolhouse is 8 km away, and all the students are boys. She uses a pair of donated sneakers to run there and back, proving herself to the boys by out-running them all. Sophy’s determination is inspiring, and her story is a gentle window onto the rather shocking worldwide gender disparities in education. Congratulations, Fred!

Another accent to the importance shoes are given in many cultures, this tale is of a young girl in Cambodia whose secret wish is for a pair of running shoes. A census worker, whom Sophy and the other villagers call the number man, helps make her dream a reality. It's not, after all, just the shoes Sophy is interested in, but the shoes make it possible for her to run eight miles to the nearest school. Once there, she discovers all the other students are boys, who laugh at a girl who wants to learn to read and write. At the end of her first school day, she challenges them to catch her in her race home. Bright colors show the greens of a monsoon-washed land, the pastels of sunrise as Sophy speeds across the rice fields, and the contrasts of eager student faces above the white shirts of their school uniforms. In this book as well, determination and hope dominate.

They live in a small village with no doctor, hospital, or school. But Sophy has a secret wish – a wish for something that will change her life forever. With the help of a pair of running shoes, Sophy might just be able to make her wish come true.” Sophy’s wish is to attend school eight kilometers away through the jungle and over streams and sharp, red rocks. On his current visit, the government census taker learns of Sophy’s dream, measures her foot, and promises to send a surprise. With new running shoes Sophy proves herself not only by braving the distance alone, but also by courageously attending an all-boy school and outrunning every single fellow student. Through lyrical text and beautiful paintings, “author Fredrick Lipp and illustrator Jason Gaillard create an empowering story of hope and determination set in the countryside of Cambodia.” This book is for everyone; it made me cry. --Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, South Jordan Middle School

Running Shoes written by Frederick Lipp and illustrated by Jason Gaillard is a multicultural story about a poor Cambodian girl that simply wants to go to school. The running shoes are her vehicle, just as this picture book is a statement by the author who is president of a Cambodian scholarship foundation for underprivileged children. The illustrations provide colorful double-page backdrops in the book, a strong read-aloud story. Running Shoes opens the door for discussion about educational opportunities for all worldwide students in difficult situations.

Sophy, a young girl living in a remote low-income village in Cambodia, faced a number of obstacles that prevented her from going to school. Only boys attended the closest school, which was eight kolometers away, and the recent death of her father dealt a large personal and economic blow. However, one day a government census worker, who visited the village once a year, noticed Sophy staring at his running shoes and took an interest in her situation. The running shoes that arrived at Sophy's home a month later helped her to overcome one obstacle--the long trip by foot on a narrow, rocky road--to get to school. Her courage, bright mind, and quick feet helped to overcome an even bigger problem, namely the ridicule from the boys that a girl wanted to join them at school.
This unique book provides readers with a compelling account of the multiple barriers that prevent some children in less developed countries, especially girls, from attending school. Getting past such hurdles can involve multiple steps, including a change in parents' willingness and ability to send a child to school, relaxing social norms about who can attend school, and improving school access for children in remote villages. Running Shoes carefully touches on each of these issues in an inspiring story that will appeal to children and adults alike.

Frederick Lipp’s Running Shoes is the extremely hopeful story of Sophy, a young Cambodian girl who dreams of attending school. Unfortunately, there is no school in her very small village. Only a pair of running shoes will allow her to run the 8 kilometers to the next village to attend their school. The government “number man” or census taker who visits her village each year learns of her desire and actually sends her the necessary shoes that propel her dream toward reality.

With these new shoes and a breakfast of rice and fish, she sets off on her run through the rice fields, crossing little streams and sharp stones that would have made her way impassible before. Arriving at the one-room schoolhouse for her first day she finds only boys, but the teacher welcomes her warmly as Sophy blurts out, “I want to learn how to read and write.”

When the “number man” returns at the end of the school year, Sophy writes him a message in the sand by the river, proving that she really can now read and write. She expresses her hope that one day she can help build a school in her village and that she will be the teacher. The reader can hardly doubt but that she will succeed.

Frederick Lipp has told Sophy’s story of her Running Shoes in a straightforward and not overly sympathetic manner, encouraging young readers and listeners to dream big dreams they can realize—dreams that can also help others. Jason Gaillard’s illustrations express Sophy’s joy and determination in reaction to the people and world around her. This is a wonderful book to share with readers aged seven to ten.

We take school for granted in the United States, but in some countries it's not a given. The book "Running Shoes" visits Cambodia, where Sophy lives in a small village 8 kilometers from the nearest school. Although she yearns to learn to read and write, it's not until someone gives her a pair of running shoes that she's able to walk to school every day. Reaching the schoolhouse is not her only challenge; once there, Sophy must prove herself to her classmates--all boys--who at first laugh at her. Sensitive oil paintings in muted colors create the world in which Sophy lives. Against this background, subtle highlights in her face and figure bring to life a young girl of dreams and determination. "Running Shoes is a tribute to the power of education to change a life."

This gentle story about the determination of one girl to learn to read and write hints at the culture of Cambodia. Because Sophy does not have shoes, she cannot run the eight kilometers to the nearest school. The "number man" who visits annually to take the census comes to her aid, sending her a pair of running shoes so she can pursue her dream.