independent reading level: K-3

EducatingParents.org rating: Approved
This story talks about the reality of not being able to afford the things that other people can. It touches on marketing and social pressure. Great talking point can be about "rich vs. poor" and the importance of not making fun of someone else because they cannot buy things that others can. Also that thrift stores have some great items, even if they are not brand new.

This book is fantastic! I initially came across it on a list of picture books that introduce kids to the concepts of poverty and homelessness. I think this is a very important topic for kids to learn that they often don’t until they are older, which causes many misconceptions in their early interactions with others.

Those Shoes tells the story of a boy who needs new shoes and really wants the ones that everyone else is wearing, you know: the high tops with the stripes on the sides. The shoes that make you look cool, and supposedly even run faster! But when his grandma can’t afford the shoes he wants, they decide to try and find them at local thrift stores. They go from store to store and finally find a pair that are perfect aside from the fact that they are too small. Still, Jeremy shoves his feet in and tries to wear the shoes. This of course end up working against the point of shoes and is hurting his feet. When Jeremy sees another boy in his class that also doesn’t seem to have enough money to afford new shoes, and whose feet are a little smaller than his, he eventually decides to give him the shoes. They are a perfect fit for his classmate and Jeremy is happy to see it even after he struggled with whether to give them up or not. Jeremy learns to be grateful for the snug, functional boots his grandma got him when it snows at the end of the book.

This book covers so many topics that are important for kids to see in books. First of all is the obvious topic of poverty and how there will be things your family won’t always be able to afford but you can still find ways to get what you need. Another topic is that of wanting the popular fads. We have all wanted something so bad before just because it’s what everyone else had, but it didn’t make that thing any better once we actually got it. The shoes were just shoes, and they weren’t even particularly suited for the season. Yet another great thing shown here is that Jeremy seems to live with just his grandma, so she is providing for them on her own and it shows a different family type other than the “nuclear” one that is more typically shown. I also really appreciate that instead of just giving his shoes over, it showed Jeremy really struggle with it at first. It’s not always easy to give up that idea of something you really wanted even though it would be better for someone else.

I also enjoyed the illustrations and would overall highly recommend this book as being both a great story and having super important topics for kids to learn about! ( )

This is a great book choice for young readers for various reasons. It teaches patience and compassion. The main character, Jeremy, really wants a new pair of shoes because friends from his shoes have them and he thinks they are really fast and really cool, but his family says they do not have room for wants, only for needs, What he needed was a new pair of winter boots. The guidance counselor helped Jeremy find a new pair of sneakers at school, but these sneakers were velcro and had a cartoon character that no one had heard of. Everyone, except Antonio, laughed at him when they saw his new shoes. His grandma took him to some thrift shops to find the pair of shoes he wants, and he found the perfect pair, but it wasn't his size. He bought them anyway and tried to squeeze in them, but it was no use. Jeremy displayed compassion as he knew his friend Antonio needed new shoes, so he gave Antonio his that were too small. Antonio was very thankful while Jeremy was still very sad that he didn't have those same new shoes. But then one day, there was snow outside at recess and Jeremy was excited to wear what no one else had: new black winter boots. The story ended on a happy note as Jeremy finally had something he needed and liked. This story is very relatable to young readers and encourages kindness and compassion. ( )

The hottest fad can also be the most expensive and out of reach for children in limited financial circumstances. Jeremy, living with his Grandma, dreams of wearing the latest cool black high-tops with two white stripes. But as Grandma points out, “There’s no room for ‘want’ around here—just ‘need’ ” and what Jeremy needs and gets is a new pair of winter boots. Jeremy’s quest for new sneakers takes on more urgency when his old pair fall apart, and the only choice is the Velcro baby-blue set meant for little kids found in the school’s donation box by the guidance counselor. Even Grandma understands and together they search several thrift shops and actually find the coveted black high-tops, but they’re too small. Buying them anyway, Jeremy makes a heartfelt decision to put them to a more practical and generous use. Boelts blends themes of teasing, embarrassment and disappointment with kindness and generosity in a realistic interracial school scenario bringing affecting closure to a little boy’s effort to cope in a world filled with materialistic attractions and distractions. Muted browns/greens/blues done in watercolors, pencils and ink, and digitally arranged, add to the story’s expressive affirmation of what is really important. (Picture book. 6-9)

-Kirkus Review