Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts illustrated by Noah Z Jones

I have dreams about those shoes.

Black high-tops. Two white stripes.

"Grandma, I want them."

"There's no room for 'want' around here - just 'need',"

Through Jeremy's eyes it seems everyone has those shoes. Everyone except him. The guidance counselor offers him new shoes when his own fall apart but these have Velcro and an animal from an old cartoon series on the side. You can just feel Jeremy's embarrassment. Back in class everyone laughs at Jeremy. Everyone except Antonio Parker.

I would be good to compare this reaction with the class response in Crazy Hair Day.

Grandma can see Jeremy is sad but when they visit the shoe store she knows there is no way they can afford those shoes. Jeremy and his grandmother visit three thrift stores and in the final one they find those shoes. "Black shoes with two white stripes. High-tops. Perfect shape. $2.50."  It all seems utterly perfect BUT will they fit?

Jermey is desperate to wear the shoes from the thrift shop even though his toes are in agony. There are some new shoes in the offing though. Grandma buys some much needed show shoes.

Luckily for Jeremy a few days later it snows. You should notice the autumn leaves on the opening end papers and snow on the final end papers. There might not quite be the happy ending you expect but luckily for Antonio, Jeremy finds a way to be kind.

Here is a video of the whole book. Take a look at this BookBag review. I read those shoes because I enjoyed I Bike like Sergio's by the same author and illustrator. It would be good to compare these stories with an older class.

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. Kirkus

A bike like Sergio's by Maribeth Boelts illustrated by Noah Z Jones

The first thing I thought when I finished this book was - how clever to write a book with a strong moral message presented with such a light touch that you only consider the moral after reading. Then I read this decoloresreview and I saw some aspects of this story in a different way.  I am now planning to read this book to a group of Grade 2 children here in Sydney. None have ever experienced poverty, I don't think they will notice the skin colours used by Noah Z Jones but I do wonder what they may think of the 'message'.

Ruben has no bike. All of his friends have bikes but Ruben's family are poor. We know this because when his Mom writes her grocery list we see her counting the money in her purse and then crossing things off her list. 

For me this is not entirely a book about honesty it is also about 'walking in another person's shoes'.  Ruben picks up a dollar in the grocery store that has been dropped by a regular customer. He decides to keep the money - it is only a dollar he thinks. But when he gets home he discovers it is not one dollar it is one hundred dollars. When you are exploring this book in Australia you would need to show the children US money. In Australia our notes are all different colours and of course we no longer have a one dollar note. 

Ruben feels bad about the money and he also realises if he tries to spend it on that long desired bike serious questions will be asked. At the end of his first day with the money he checks his bag and discovers the money is gone. 

"Rain is falling as I retrace my steps from school to bike shop to home.

Leaves and money look the same.

Rain and tears feel the same.

It's nowhere."

Ruben suffers through another long day at school. To add to his torment their math topic is money. Ruben checks his bag one more time and discovers it is still there in a small zip pocket. He heads over the grocery store to buy milk and juice for his mom and sees the lady who lost the money. "I remember how it was for me when that money that was hers - then mine - was gone."

Here is the Kirkus review. Here is an excellent trailer made by the publisher. Take a look here at some other picture books about owning a bicycle. My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything also has a terrific Pinterest collection on this topic.

With a group of older students I would read Mr Chickee's Funny Money for another perspective on finding money.