Nia is in such a hurry for school that she slips on one red shoe and one blue shoe without noticing. At first, she wants to hide her mismatched feet, but one surprising classroom rhythm may turn her awkward mistake into the happiest dance of the day.
It is illegal to use this free children's book for commercial without giving us credit by linking to our website www.monkeypen.com. Teachers and Educational Institutions, please read our T&C before making any use of monkeypen books.
Please share our books with your friends and family to support our mission. Thank you
Click here to read more Free Children's books
On Monday morning, everything in Nia’s house seemed rushed.
The toast popped, the clock ticked loudly and her dog ran off with a sock.
“The bus will be here soon!” called Mum.
“I’m coming!” Nia shouted.
She pulled on her yellow jumper, grabbed her schoolbag and slipped on two shoes beneath the coat rack without looking. Then she hurried outside.
She pulled on her yellow jumper, grabbed her schoolbag and slipped on two shoes beneath the coat rack without looking. Then she hurried outside.
Nia reached the bus just in time.
When she sat down, she noticed her shoes. The left one was red with a white star, while the right one was blue with yellow stripes.
They were the same size—but they did not match!
“Oh no,” Nia whispered, hiding her feet beneath the seat.
At school, Nia walked behind the other children. She hoped no one would look down.
In the classroom, she tucked her feet under her chair. During reading time, she held her book low in front of her knees. When the class lined up for lunch, she took tiny steps so her shoes would not make much noise.
But hiding two bright shoes was not easy.
At lunchtime, Nia’s friend Ravi noticed a flash of blue beneath the table.
“Is that a new shoe?” he asked.
Nia quickly crossed one foot over the other.
“Not really,” she mumbled.
She felt her cheeks growing warm. She imagined everyone pointing and laughing.
After lunch, Mrs Green clapped her hands.
“Today, we are going to practise rhythms with our feet,” she announced. “Move the desks aside. It’s time to dance!”
Nia’s heart sank.
The children formed a circle on the patterned classroom floor. The tiles were covered with colourful circles, squares and zigzags.
Mrs Green tapped the drum.
Tap-tap, stamp!
The children copied her.
Standing at the back, Nia tried to keep her feet together. But the red shoe squeaked while the blue one gave a firm thump.
Squeak! Thump!
This time, Ravi smiled.
“Your shoes make two different sounds!”
Nia looked down. Her red shoe squeaked softly on the smooth tiles, while the blue shoe made a deeper sound.
“Squeak-thump,” Ravi repeated, tapping his knees.
Soon, another child joined in.
“Squeak-thump, clap!”
“What an interesting rhythm!” said Mrs Green. “Can you show us again?”
Nia felt shy, but everyone was smiling kindly.
She stepped forward in her red shoe.
Squeak!
Then stamped her blue one.
Thump!
The class copied Nia.
Squeak-thump! Squeak-thump!
She tried a faster beat.
Squeak, squeak, thump!
Soon everyone invented mixed-up movements. Ravi hopped and spun, Leila tapped her toes and bent her knees, while Ben took one giant step and two tiny ones.
Mrs Green played the drum as the children danced.
“Red foot forward!” called Nia.
“Blue foot back!” shouted Ravi.
“Turn and clap!” added Leila.
The room filled with stomps, squeaks and laughter. They called it the Mixed-Up Dance.
Soon, Nia was leading the class, her mismatched shoes flashing red and blue.
When the final drumbeat sounded, everyone cheered.
“I wish I had worn two different shoes,” said Ravi.
Nia laughed. “This morning, I wished I hadn’t!”
Mrs Green smiled. “Sometimes a mistake can give us a brand-new idea.”
On the bus ride home, Nia did not hide her feet beneath the seat. She stretched them out proudly.
When Mum saw the shoes, her eyes widened.
“Nia! You wore two different shoes all day!”
“I know,” said Nia. “They didn’t match, but they made a wonderful dance.”
The next morning, Nia wore a matching pair. But tucked inside her schoolbag were two colourful ribbons—one red and one blue.
At dance time, she tied one around each ankle.
Then she stepped onto the classroom floor and called:
“Ready for the Mixed-Up Dance?”
And everyone was.
Moral: An awkward mistake can become something joyful when we face it with confidence and share the moment with others.
Please share our books with your friends and family to support our mission. Thank you
Click here to read more Free Children's books
Explore Our Creative World
Free Children's Books
We have already kick-started the ‘Free Book Project’ with 50 books. Our books are professionally written and illustrated and can download and read on any device.
Free Colouring Books
Unlock a world of creativity with our free coloring books! Packed with fun illustrations, they inspire kids to explore their imagination and bring pictures to life with color.
Free Coloring Pages
Discover a collection of free, printable PDF coloring pages, perfect for keeping little hands busy and inspiring creativity with fun and delightful designs.
