TheReadingWarehouse.com: Those Shoes: Maribeth Boelts

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Those Shoes
Contributor(s): Boelts, Maribeth (Author), Jones, Noah Z. (Illustrator)

ISBN: 0763642843 ISBN-13: 9780763642846
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)

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Binding Type: Paperback - See All Available Formats & Editions
Published: June 2009
Annotation: All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. But Jeremys grandma tells him what he needs are new boots for winter. Soon Jeremy realizes that the things he has are worth more than the things he wants, in this refreshingly realistic story. Full color.

Additional Information

BISAC Categories:
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes - Emotions & Feelings
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes - Values & Virtues
- Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes - Peer Pressure

Dewey: E

Age Level: 5-8

Grade Level: Kindergarten-3

Lexile Measure: 550 AD (Adult Directed Text)

Physical Information: 0.2" H x 10.1" W x 9.6" (0.50 lbs) 34 pages

Themes:
- Ethnic Orientation - African American

Accelerated Reader Info

Quiz #: 119514
Reading Level: 3.1 Interest Level: Lower Grades Point Value: 0.5

Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.

Publisher Description:
But all the kids are wearing them Any child who has ever craved something out of reach will relate to this warm, refreshingly realistic story.
"I have dreams about those shoes. Black high-tops. Two white stripes."
All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. But Jeremy's grandma tells him they don't have room for "want," just "need," and what Jeremy needs are new boots for winter. When Jeremy's shoes fall apart at school, and the guidance counselor gives him a hand-me-down pair, the boy 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 comes to realize 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.

Contributor Bio(s): Maribeth Boelts is a former preschool teacher who has written numerous books for children. She lives in Iowa with her husband and three children.

Noah Z. Jones is the illustrator of NOT NORMAN: A GOLDFISH STORY, THE MONSTER IN THE BACKPACK, and WELCOME TO THE BED AND BISCUIT. He lives in Maine.

Reviewed by Horn Book Magazine Reviews (Horn Book Magazine Reviews 2007 #6)
Jeremy yearns for the expensive striped high-top sneakers that most of the boys in his class, black and white alike, wear. But his kind yet firm grandmother says, "There's no room for 'want' around here -- just 'need,'" and when his old shoes fall apart at school, he has to wear what's available: a pair of sneakers with babyish Velcro from the guidance counselor's box of extras. Though humiliated, Jeremy works hard to keep things in perspective ("I'm not going to cry about any dumb shoes"), but when he spots a pair of the prized shoes in a resale shop, he buys them even though they are much too small. Jones uses watercolor, pencils, and ink to depict a multiethnic urban neighborhood. The first spread, which shows a gigantic "Buy these shoes" poster looming over small Jeremy, conveys the enormous pressures on children who don't have as much money as their classmates. At the same time, both Boelts and Jones show that even though Jeremy's family lacks disposable income -- and, presumably, live-in parents -- he is secure and loved. Whether children are on the shoe-owning or the shoe-envying side of the economic line, they can sympathize with Jeremy and rejoice in the way he eventually resolves his problem with his too-small shoes. Copyright 2007 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Reviewed by School Library Journal Reviews (SLJ Reviews 2007 December)

K-Gr 3— Jeremy desperately wants a pair of advertised sneakers. "I have dreams about those shoes. Black high-tops. Two white stripes." In fact, some of his classmates already own them. However, money is tight, and his grandmother reminds him that there is a difference between what he wants and what he needs (he needs winter boots). He buys with his own money a used pair of the cool sneakers even though they are too small, saying "sometimes shoes stretch," but ends up with bandage-covered feet. This story exposes the value many children place on wearing the same cool clothing as or fitting in with the in-crowd; however, a message of generosity shines through when Jeremy gives his prized sneakers to a friend in need who has smaller feet. Illustrations done in pencil, ink, and watercolors effectively depict the grays and browns of the wintertime inner-city setting, the institutional greens and blues of the school, and the warm hues of this African-American home. The characters' faces, drawn with thin lines, wide-set eyes, and a variety of skin tones, are expressive. A poignant, thought-provoking book.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

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