The Elves and the Shoemaker

by Ronne Randall (Retold by), Gail Yerrill (Illustrator)

This Parragon fairy tale classic picture book features revised text ideal for beginning readers along with vibrant new illustrations. Children will love to follow along with their favorite characters!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Ronne Randall has been editing and writing children's books since the 1980s, and has published more than 130 titles on both sides of the Atlantic. Ronne was born and raised in New York City, now permanently resident in the UK. Her interests include art, psychology and folklore.

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this delightfully illustrated - by Ailie Busby - edition for a dear friend of mine who collects Ladybird books but I thought I would read it first!

The story of the elves and the shoemaker has been fairly well known for around about 110 years. Written originally by the brothers Grimm - and there is nothing grim abut this tale - the story is superbly retold by Ronne Randall.

The shoemaker is down on his luck and worried about not having enough food for he, his wife and their delightfully portrayed cat. He goes to bed one night leaving work unfinished but when he gets up the following morning it is all complete. The shoemaker is puzzled and his cat maiows 'Not me' when the shoemaker asks the question as to who has done the sewing out loud.

This happens over a number of nights so he and his wife decide to burn the midnight oil and watch what is happening. By this time there had been much work, including making shoes after the shoemaker, now earning money from his increasingly popular line of shoes, has bought a variety of new colours of leather.

To their astonishment they discover that three elves are the perpetrators of their good fortune so the shoemaker's wife decides to make the elves, who are dressed rather poorly, some fine clothes. The following night the elves are delighted but their work done, they do not return but by then the shoemaker is on a path to success. And he never forgets the elves for every night he offers them a thank you before he goes to bed.

As the blurb said, 'ideal for reading aloud and sharing' and it very definitely is, thus I did so and shared it with myself!!

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magical tale of Brownies helping out an elderly couple. The pictures are one dimensional, like cut offs. I wouldn't have been terribly excited for the pictures when I was a wee little girly girl but it's a tale for boys and girls alike.

[Dyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The shoes designs... They're so cute ^^

[Samantha Ponting · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this story from my youth, so I was excited to find one that was published within the last 10 years. The illustrations in this book were very well done; full-page spreads with lots of details and colors. I personally love this tale because the shoemaker and his wife are down on their luck and really were looking for a miracle. And little did they know that miracle was going to happen. But when it happened, they didn’t become greedy they were humbled and thankful for their little helpers.

This is a great tale to tell every class in every grade. If more people tried to be helpful and appreciative of others the better we would be as a society.

[Alysha DeShaé · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my niece's Daisy troop at a Girl Scout meeting. It was every bit as cute as I remember!

[Justinandrochelle Johannessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Predictable, but my child loves it

[Keshia Burchette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has always been one of my favorites and I was so happy to be able to read it to my daughter.