LeoNora M. Cohen

         Big Foot

This story is about a clumsy young girl who aspires to be a ballerina and to get on pointe. She works hard at her ballet studies, and when she gets very close to her goal and finally gets the toe shoes she dreams of, her feet quickly grow too big to fit them. How she copes with this setback is the heart of the story. 

Big Foot is bilingual, English and Spanish, so a child can read either language
and can learn words and sentences in another language, especially with the
delightful drawings that make the meaning clear. Written by an emeritus
professor of education with illustrations by Phoebe Mallory, currently a senior in high school, the poignant story can help a young reader think about what is really important in attaining goals. It is written for children between 7 and 12 years of age. The print is large, so young readers can read independently.
 

All profits from Big Foot are donated to the Universalist-Unitarian Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende, which initiated and continues to support many non-profit organizations in the area.
 
When we are young, we dream of becoming a professional ball player, ballet dancer, astronomer, or a rock musician. We want to get the lead in the school play, be captain of the football team, or get elected class president. Few get to reach these dreams. Sometimes it is because of lack of effort or that others are better at what we aspire to and get chosen. Often it is through no fault of our own: no matter how hard we try, our bodies are too short, our coordination is not good enough, our math skills are weak, our singing voice is not evocative.   

When young persons face these kinds of setbacks, they might become depressed or give up, change goals, or settle for a related role, becoming the ball person or costume maker. The girl in this story finds another alternative, being altruistic..

About the Artist: Phoebe Mallory

Phoebe Mallory is currently a high school senior in Corvallis, Oregon.  She loves art, but what she enjoys the most is using it to tell stories.  She aims to use stories to connect and inspire people.  Comics are her favorite form of media, and she runs one online in her spare time.