Those Shoes
by Maribeth Boelts
A picture book about a boy who discovers that friendship is worth more than the coolest shoes in school
The story
When every kid at school has the trendy black high-tops he dreams about, Jeremy asks his grandma — but she says there is only room for need, not want. After his old shoes fall apart and the school counselor offers an embarrassing replacement pair, Jeremy searches thrift shops until he finds the coveted shoes for two dollars and fifty cents — but they do not fit. As he struggles with what to do next, he begins to notice something about a quiet classmate that changes everything.
Age verdict
Best for ages 5-8. Five-year-olds will follow the story and feel the emotions when read aloud. Eight-year-olds will appreciate the moral complexity of the central choice.
Our take
A literary-educational picture book that parents and teachers value highly for its craft and teaching potential, while kids connect deeply on emotional dimensions but find less entertainment, humor, or social currency.
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- Heart-punch Strong
Comparable to Earthquake in the Early Morning — Shame, desperation, and bittersweet ending deliver genuine emotional resonance matching chapter book anchors
- Ending satisfaction Strong
Something Wonky This Way Comes — Final reveal of snow boots + race with friend creates earned symmetry, honoring both sacrifice and reward
Parents love
- Parent-child conversation starter Exceptional
Off the Hook — Nearly every spread opens genuine conversation: wants vs needs, peer pressure, meaningful gifts, family values, economic reality. Parent-child connector score. Sits at 9.
- Writing quality Strong
Comparable to Interrupting Chicken , triangulated with A Snicker of Magic — Writing achieves literary precision within extreme compression (every word looks like shoes, tight pencil grip as emotion). Metaphor density and craft justify score. Sits at 8.
Teachers love
- Read-aloud power Strong
Comparable to Gathering Blue , triangulated with Red Queen — Opening rhythm reads beautifully aloud. Repeated internal refusal has natural call-and-response. Grandma dialogue instantly performable. Sits at 8.
- Classroom versatility Strong
Comparable to Eyes That Kiss in the Corners — Functions as read-aloud, SEL anchor, economics lesson, character analysis, mentor text for show-don't-tell, creative prompt
✓ Perfect for
- • kids ages 5-9 experiencing peer pressure about belongings
- • classroom read-alouds about empathy and generosity
- • families wanting to discuss wants versus needs
- • reluctant readers who respond to emotional stories with strong illustrations
Not ideal for
Readers looking for action, fantasy, humor-driven stories, or fast pacing — this is a quiet, emotionally grounded realistic narrative.
⚠ Heads up
At a glance
- Pages
- 40
- Chapters
- 12
- Words
- 1k
- Lexile
- 550L
- Difficulty
- Easy
- POV
- First Person
- Illustration
- Fully Illustrated
- Published
- 2007
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Illustrator
- Noah Z. Jones
- ISBN
- 9780763642846
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
A child who finishes this book and wants to talk about what they would have done is ready for longer stories about friendship and difficult choices.
More like this
Same genre, similar age range. Ranked by kid score.
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