Tashi and the Dancing Shoes

Anna Fienberg & Kim Gamble

Allen & Unwin 2001

63p. pbk., $8.95

1865085529

 There are 4 main characters in this story - Tashi, Tiki Pu, Luk Ahed and Not Yet. Tashi is a small boy who is soon to turn 10 years old. Unfortunatelyhe hears bad news and to help him out, Not Yet gives him a pair of magical dancing shoes. Tashi is given the task of making a meal for a God. When he does this, Luk Ahed tells him that there has been a mistake in his prophecy anyway.

This book is quite easy to read and has medium sized print, well-spaced out.

The cover is very colourful and draws the browser to investigate further.

There are several illustrations through the book and these give the reader glimpses of ideas about the characters. I think that this book is very good even though there are a couple of places where the story is a bit slow moving. I would rate this book 9/10.

Kirsten 10yrs rural Victoria
There are four main characters - Tashi, Tiki Pu, Luk Ahed and Not Yet. Tashi is a small boy who is told by Luk Ahed that he will die on his 10th birthday - which is quite soon. Tashi is keen to stop this happening, so Not Yet gives him a pair of magical dancing shoes and tells him to make a perfect meal for the God who controls the birthday book.

The story is full of his adventures as he tries to do this.

This book, with its large print, is quite easy to read. The cover has a bright, colourful picture of Tashi with other characters in the background.

I would rate this book 7/10. I think readers between the ages of 7-14 would enjoy it.

Piper 10yrs rural Victoria
This book is based on three characters: Tashi - who is a little boy; Tiki Pu - who is Tashi's grumpy uncle; Luk Ahed - a kind happy fortune teller.

The story starts with Tashi's uncle coming to stay. Then the fortune teller comes into the story and tells Tashi that his tenth birthday will be his last.

The book contains a bold, medium sized print and is easy to read. The cover is bright and colourful - it catches our attention and makes you want to look inside. It is more of a younger readers story but I think the words may be a bit difficult for this age group. I would rate the book 3/10 and suitable for 7 - 10 year olds.

Cedric 12 yrs rural Victoria
Tashi gets a pair of magic dancing shoes which help him to save his best friend who was stuck down at the bottom of a pit with a dangerous snake.

Tashi is putting on a performance in the town square when his uncle asks him to perform for the emperor. This is just a small part of Tashi's adventures in this book.

I think this book is easy to read with nice bold print. You could really picture this story in your head. It would be suitable for 5yrs and over because it is interesting. The picture on the front cover was the first thing that caught my eye. I think anybody who likes Tashi books or adventures stories would love this book.

Trent 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi and the dancing shoes is about a 9 year old elf called Tashi. For his 10th birthday Tashi receives lovely dancing shoes from Not Yet. Tashi also receives a bad gift - a prophecy that he will die on his 10th birthday. The only way to save himself is to cook a meal for the God who controls these things. Tashi eventually finds his way out of all this commotion.

The book is suitable for 6 - 15yrs. It is easy to read and has a bright, colourful cover.

Phoebe 11 yrs rural Victoria
Tashi is a boy with a big imagination and he has lots of adventures. Tashi is given a pair of magical dancing shoes but once he has them on his feet, they won't come off. Luk Ahed, the fortune teller, gives Tashi some bad news - that he will die on his 10th birthday. Tashi finds out that the only way to stop this happening is to cook a special meal for a God.

This book is suitable for ages 8 - 11. It is an easy book to read and the size of the print is good. There were some slow parts of the story but overall it kept the reader interested.

Alfred 9yrs rural Victoria
This book is about a magic elf who tells a story to his friends. On his latest adventure he goes to save his friend in the forest after he is given a pair of magical dancing shoes. Tashi finds out form the fortune teller that he will die on his 10th birthday. He obviously doesn't want this to happen and the book details his adventures as he tries to change his fate.

It is suitable for ages 6 - 8 yrs. The print is a medium size. The pictures were interesting and the cover looked great.

John  10yrs rural Victoria
Tashi is a young boy who loved to go on adventures. One day he went to Not Yet and asked for a pair of shoes. Once he had the magical shoes on, he couldn't get them off.

This story is suitable for 8 - 12 yrs. It is quite easy to read with medium sized print. The cover is colourful and bright while the illustrations are small but nice. They help to tell the story well and are very imaginative. I think this book is good.

Goldie 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi's cousin, Lotus blossom, has gone missing. He goes to Luk Ahed - the fortune teller - for some help. Luk Ahed tells him to go to the shoemaker for some shoes. Tashi gets the shoes which turn out to be magical. Once Tashi has them on his feet, he can't get them off. The shoes take Tashi where they want to go. Will he ever find Lotus Blossom?

I thought this book was easy to understand. It has medium sized print but not too much writing on each page. It has lots of pictures which suit the story. The book is interesting and imaginative.

Catherine 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi went to look for his cousin Lotus Blossom and on the way he got some magical shoes. Tashi found Lotus Blossom at the bottom of a tiger pit. The story continues with Tashi trying to change his fate.

It is an easy to read book with a great cover and good illustrations through the story. I thought that it was a bit boring and not as adventurous as it's supposed to be.

Gregor 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi's enemy Tiki Pu, tried to ruin his plans but Luk Ahed tells Tashi he will have a great adventure. Tashi tries to save his own life by feeding the God a great meal.

I think this book is suitable for 7 - 10yrs. I loved the cover but I thought the illustrations were a bit dull. I am not really an adventure story fan but I think other readers would enjoy the book.

Mike 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi gets a pair of magic dancing shoes and saves his friend who is stuck in a tiger pit. The evil Tiki Pu makes Tashi perform for the emperor but in the end Tashi triumphs.

I liked this book because it was easy to read. The print was large and clear. The front cover was bright and colourful which made me want to read it even more. I think it was a good story because you could picture it in your head.

Sally 10yrs rural Victoria
Tashi goes to Luk Ahed and is told that if he wears special shoes he will have a wonderful adventure. He finds the shoes but then he can't take them off and they take him everywhere until he learns the magic words to get them off his feet. Tashi has a great adventure trying to save his own life by making the favourite meal of a God.

I think this book is suitable for 6 - 10 yrs. It was a bit boring for older students.

Marill 12yrs rural Victoria
The main character, Tashi, went to a fortune teller - Luk Ahed - and asked him to tell his fortune. The news was bad - he would die on his 10th birthday. Tashi discovers that the only way to live is to make a meal for the God of long life.

I think the writing is suitable for 9 - 13 yr old children. The cover is nicely illustrated and the pictures are imaginative rather than realistic. I thought the story had great ideas with lots of unexpected things happening. It was good that the names were different and interesting too.

Max 11yrs rural Victoria
Jack's Uncle Joe loves stories just like Tashi. He loves the story about the magic shoes, Uncle Tiki Pu's tricky plan and what Tashi did when Luk Ahed said that his 10th birthday would be his last.

It's easy to read because the size of the print is suitable for young readers. I think it's a really good book and I hope there is another Tashi book coming out soon.

Carey 10yrs rural Victoria
The plot was about a young boy who was on a mission to find his friend Lotus Blossom. On this journey he received a pair of magical shoes which led him to a fortune teller. However Tashi didn't like what he heard. The book is filled with one adventure after another. The heat is on for Tashi when he finds himself fighting for his life with the Gods.

I believe the book is suitable for 6 - 8yr olds. This book had easy vocabulary, a good-sized print and a terrific cover. I thought it was a bit slow in parts but I still enjoyed it.

Christal 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi's a young boy who has a pair of dancing shoe that make him dance around. He has many problems - his wicked uncle, the shoes - because he can't get them off, and the bad news he receives from the fortune teller.

The book was easy to read and the cover was very good. I thought that the story wasn't really interesting for older children but I'm sure younger students would love it. The names were a bit silly and the adventures were exciting.

Fay 11yrs rural Victoria
Tashi's a small boy from a little village. He goes to see Luk Ahed - he fortune teller - to have his fortune read. The news is bad but Tashi tries to change his fate by getting some red magic shoes. He has many adventures after he finds the shoes.

The print is a medium size and the book is generally easy to read, giving a challenge to most junior levels. This would be a great book for a child to enter the world of reading. Any child with a mind for adventure will be captured and sucked into felling they are there with Tashi

Gretel 12yrs rural Victoria
This story is by Anna Fienberg, illustrated by Kim Gamble and published by Allen & Unwin.

It begins when a girl called Lotus Blossom disappeared.. Lotus Blossoms grandmother was asking all the village people if they had seen her, but the village people said they hadnt.

So Tashi went to Luk Ahed, who was good at telling the future. Luk Ahed told Tashi he was going to have another adventure, just as soon as you find a very special pair of red shoes . Tashi went to the shoe shop. The owner was called Come Back Later. Come Back Later said Come back later. So Tashi came back later. Come Back Later gave Tashi the shoes. Then Tashi went home and put the shoes on.

Then suddenly the shoes went up, taking Tashi up in the air. The shoes took him into the forest. They took Tashi to a tigers pit. Tashi looked in the tigers pit and saw Lotus Blossom. Tashi jumped into the pit. Suddenly Lotus Blossom was screaming because she saw a snake. She threw rocks at the snake, but Tashi said not to. Then the shoes took them back to the village in a few jumps. The village people gave three cheers for bringing back Lotus Blossom.

I like this book because it is very interesting. When I saw this book I was really excited. I couldnt get it out of my mind. I didnt get to grab it because our teacher took one and Thomas took one too. I think there are more in other bookshops. I think children between 5 and 11 would love to read this book.

 Ada, 7 , Sydney
TASHI AND THE DANCING SHOES is by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg and it has pictures by Kim Gamble. Kim Gamble came to our school once.

Once there was a boy called Tashi. His friend Lotus Blossom disappeared. Tashi went to Luk Ahed. Luk Ahed said to Tashi Go to Come Back Later and get a pair of magic shoes. Come Back Later is named because he always says Come Back Later.

Tashi went to get his magic shoes. Come Back Later said Come back later. So Tashi came back later and got the pair of shoes. He put them on. They took Tashi to the forest. There was a tiger pit where Lotus Blossom had fallen in. The shoes forced Tashi to jump in the pit. Lotus Blossom screamed when she saw a snake and threw rocks at it. Tashi said Dont worry, Lotus Blossom. The magic shoes took them back to the village.

Then Uncle Tiki Pu was greedy and wanted the magic shoes. The shoes would not come off. Tashi nearly had his feet cut off, but he was saved by Princess Sarashina.

Children 7 to 10 would like this book.

Edwin, 7 , Sydney
Tashi and the Dancing Shoes begins in the past. On earth where Tashi lives, Tashi has an adventure. It begins like this - Tashi needed to get some dancing shoes because a girl called Lotus Blossum was playing in her garden when suddenly she disappeared.......

I like this story because it is an exciting book. Also, the book has excellent expression. When I started to read this book, I wished that it would not have an ending. The words are easy to understand.

I think kids about 4-8 year old would enjoy this book. It would be a nice book to share with your friends. I think the author has helped young kids understand this book by making words easier. I certainly would recommend this book.

 Daisy, 8 years old, Sydney.

 

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