Four Feet, Two Sandals

Title: Four Feet, Two Sandals 

Author: Karen Lynn Williams

Illustrator: Doug Chayka

F&P Level: N/A

Lexile: 620L

Interest Level: Grades 2- 4

Genre: Fiction

'''Identity Group: Afghanistan, Refugee, Middle East'''

'''Themes: Friendship, Sharing, Refugees, Separation, Challenge and Triumph, Uncertainty, Problem Solving'''

 Summary 

“When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one.

As the girls go about their routines -- washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and watching for their names to appear on the list to go to America -- the sandals remind them that friendship is what is most important.

Four Feet, Two Sandals was inspired by a refugee girl who asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. With warm colors and sensitive brush strokes, this book portrays the strength, courage, and hope of refugees around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear.” – Eermans Publishing

Instructional Suggestions 

Interdisciplinary Connections 

Social Studies- discussing refugees and other cultural elements, friendship and sharing

Geography- finding the locations on a world map

Vocabulary 

Shalwar-kameez- specific type of head covering

Filth

Refugee

Resettled

Crept

Brushed

Ramadan

Cresent moon

Stream

In the author’s note

Flee

Persecution

Instability

Makeshift

Resources:

Author’s Teacher Guide: http://www.karenlynnwilliams.com/files/sandals_guide.pdf