Synopsis
"In this witty, wise picture book, Boelts presents a kid’s-eye view of a consumer fad that rages through school at gale force." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. Though Jeremy’s grandma says they don’t have room for "want," just "need," when his old shoes fall apart at school, he is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that are much too small. But sore feet aren’t much fun, and Jeremy soon sees that the things he has — warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend — are worth more than the things he wants.
Children's Literature
"I have dreams about those shoes. Black high tops. Two white stripes." Jeremy sees them everywhere—on billboards, in his spelling words, and worst of all, on most of the other kids in his class. After Jeremy's shoes fall apart, he has to accept a pair that makes his classmates laugh, but his loving grandmother says she has only enough money for "need," not "want," and what he needs are winter boots. They do find a pair of the coveted shoes in a thrift shop, but they're too small; Jeremy buys them anyway with his own savings. After limping about for days, he admits defeat and goes back to the embarrassing pair, while Grandma quietly places a new pair of black boots in his closet. When Jeremy notices that Antonio—his best friend and the only one who hasn't laughed at him—is wearing taped-together shoes, will he be able to give the glorious too-small shoes to his smaller friend? Author Boelts's experience with children as a teacher and mentor has served her well, while Jones's digitally-assembled watercolor, ink, and pencil illustrations add dimension and humor to the tale with their vibrant colors, smooth shapes, and facial expressions deftly drawn with the simplest of lines. Kids will have fun exploring the many delightful details like the band-aids on Jeremy's blistered feet, the cafeteria lunches, and Jeremy's dinosaur models. This is a sweet story of obsession, envy and the have-nots, but also of love, friendship and being happy with the good things you have. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft