In this fourth title (of five, to date) in the series, Jamela eagerly antici pates her birthday party and the new clothes she hopes to wear. However, her mother decides on practical new black shoes that are suitable for school. Jamela overcomes her disappointment by decorating the plain shoes with sparkly beads, which dismays her mother. Jamela’s artist neighbor helps Jamela devise a plan of similarly decorating more shoes to sell in Lily’s mar ket stand. With her earnings, Jamela is able to pay her mama back and then is surprised on her birthday with the “Princess Shoes” for which she had been so hoping in the first place. Vibrant watercolor illustrations capture the story’s emotional swings. 2007 USBBY Outstanding International Books List, Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year. bal

Originally published by Frances Lincoln Great Britain by arrangement with The Inkman South Africa, in 2006.