Once upon a time, there was an old and dirty shoe named Scruffy who lived in the mud. Scruffy was always feeling sad because no one wanted to play with him. One day, a young and clean shoe named Sparkles came along and asked Scruffy why he was so gloomy. Scruffy explained that he was old and dirty and that no one wanted to be friends with him. Sparkles had an idea, she suggested that they go to the river and get cleaned up together. They both agreed and went to the river. After they got cleaned, they realized how beautiful they both were. They started to play and have fun together, and Scruffy was finally happy. From that day on, Sparkles and Scruffy were the best of friends and had many adventures together. The end.

Reflections

• What did Sparkles teach Scruffy about being clean?
• Why was Scruffy unhappy before he met Sparkles?
• How did Scruffy feel after he was cleaned up?
• What can we learn from this story about friendship and appearance?