Those Shoes

Those Shoes follows Jeremy, a young boy who desperately wants the cool black high-top sneakers with two white stripes that all the other kids at school are wearing — but his grandmother says they can't afford them and he needs new winter boots instead. When Jeremy finds a beat-up pair of the shoes at a thrift store two sizes too small, he buys them anyway — until an act of unexpected generosity reveals what really matters.

Maribeth Boelts's warm, pitch-perfect text and Noah Z. Jones's expressive illustrations make this a beloved and widely used book for students because it explores peer pressure, want vs. need, empathy, and generosity in a way that is real, relatable, and emotionally resonant — making it one of the most powerful social-emotional learning picture books available.

Publishing Details

Author : Maribeth Boelts

Illustrator : Noah Z. Jones

Author Nationality : United States

Physical Details

Type of Book: Picture

Cover: Softcover

Pages: 40

Size: 10.2 x 7.9 inches

Year Published: 2009

Instructional Details

Reading Grade Level: Kindergarten

Genre: Fiction

Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme: Social Emotions, Community, School, Friendship