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    Shoeshine Girl
    Shoeshine Girl
    Shoeshine Girl
    Ebook72 pages44 minutes

    Shoeshine Girl

    By Clyde Robert Bulla and Jim Burke

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Who ever heard of a shoeshine girl?

    The last thing Sarah Ida wants to do is spend the summer with her Aunt Claudia. But when her parents send her away because of problems at home, that is exactly what she has to do. With no allowance and no fun to be had, Sarah Ida decides to look for a job. But who will hire a ten year old? Al, the shoeshine man, will!

    Sarah loves her job, even if it means getting knee-deep in shoe polish everyday. Then something terrible happens and it looks like the shoeshine stand will have to close forever. If Sarah Ida wants to keep it open, she'll have to learn a few lessons about growing up along the way ...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 25, 2013
    ISBN9780062290649
    Shoeshine Girl
    Author

    Clyde Robert Bulla

    Clyde Robert Bulla is the author of over fifty books for children, including The Secret Valley and The Story of Valentine’s Day. He has been writing since 1946, when he published his first book, The Donkey Cart. Mr. Bulla was the first recipient of the Southern California Council on Children’s Literature award for distinguished contribution to the field. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

    Read more from Clyde Robert Bulla

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    Reviews for Shoeshine Girl

    4/5

    30 ratings4 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Another odd children's book that has been in my family, unread, for decades. Here's its moment to shine. (Ha! I kill me!)A girl gets sent off to her aunt when her parents suspect she might be sliding into the ways of juvenile delinquency. And the girl does cop an attitude and strong-arms some money out of a neighbor girl.But as the title reveals, she gets a job to earn her own money. And, fellow capitalists, ain't nothing like hard, honest labor to straighten a punk out and set them on the right path of taking responsibility for their actions and helping others.That old trope aside, I still liked the book overall, though I did find it surprising and unsettling when the protagonist is revealed to be a ten-year-old snot and child laborer as opposed to the teenager I assumed she was.
    • 3/5
      Realistic fiction at a low reading level (grades 2-4, I imagine)but a good read for middle school kids, too. So this ended up being perfect for kids who are in 7th grade, have a 3rd grade reading level and don't want to walk around reading Magic Treehouse.
      A nice story.
    • 4/5
      Read it with my 6th graders. They really liked it.
    • 5/5
      A tough girl having problems with her mother gets sent off to live with an aunt. Her street wise ways don't go over so well with Aunt and she is forced to take a job.

    Book preview

    Shoeshine Girl - Clyde Robert Bulla

    Palmville

    The train stopped at Palmville, and Sarah Ida had a sudden thought. What if she didn’t get off? What if she just rode on to the end of the line? Maybe she could find a place where everything was new and she could start all over again.

    But people would ask questions. How old are you? . . . Only ten and a half? What are you doing here all by yourself? Someone would be sure to find her and bring her back.

    Anyway, it was too late. Aunt Claudia had already seen her. Aunt Claudia was at the station, looking through the train window and waving her thin hand.

    Sarah Ida picked up her suitcase.

    Here, little lady, I’ll help you with that, said the porter.

    I can carry it myself, she said, and she dragged it off the train.

    Aunt Claudia gave her a kiss that smelled like cough drops. Then they took a taxi. They rode through town, and Aunt Claudia talked. You’ve grown, but I knew you the minute I saw you. You’ve got your mother’s pretty brown eyes, but you’ve got your father’s jaw. Look—over there. That’s our new supermarket. Things may seem quiet to you here, after the city, but I think you’ll like Palmville. It’s getting to be quite a city, too.

    Sarah Ida said nothing.

    We’re on Grand Avenue, said Aunt Claudia. It’s the main street. The taxi turned off the avenue and stopped in front of a square, gray house.

    While Aunt Claudia paid the driver, Sarah Ida looked at the house. It was old, with a new coat of paint. It had spidery-looking porches and balconies.

    They went inside.

    There’s the telephone, said Aunt Claudia. Your mother wanted you to call as soon as you got here.

    Why? asked Sarah Ida.

    So she’d know you got here all right.

    "You call her," said Sarah Ida.

    All right. Aunt Claudia went to the telephone. I’ll dial the number for you.

    Don’t dial it for me, said Sarah Ida. I’m not going to talk to her.

    Aunt Claudia’s mouth opened and closed. Then she said, It’s been a long trip, and I know you’re tired. Come on upstairs. Shall I help you with your suitcase?

    No, said Sarah Ida.

    They climbed the stairs. Aunt Claudia opened a door. This is your room.

    Sarah Ida looked about the room. It wasn’t bad. She rather liked the rag rugs on the dark wood floor, and she didn’t mind the rocking chair. But the window curtains were fussy. So was the bed cover. And the pictures on the wall were terrible—a fat girl looking at a robin, and a horse with a blue ribbon around its neck.

    She waited for Aunt Claudia to ask, How do you like it? She was going to answer, "I like plain things."

    But Aunt Claudia didn’t ask. Maybe you want to unpack now, she said. We can talk later.

    We can talk now if you want to. Sarah Ida sat down on the bed.

    Aunt Claudia sat in the rocking chair.

    We don’t have to pretend, said Sarah Ida.

    Aunt Claudia looked puzzled. Pretend?

    About anything. You don’t have to pretend you want me here—

    I do want you here! said Aunt Claudia.

    I doubt that. I doubt it very much. Sarah

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