Answers to Dog by Pete Hautman

"He went back to the gate and shoved his paw through the chain link and batted at the latch handle. It moved a little, but the gate remained locked. He got up on his hind feet and pushed both front paws through and clawed at the latch. It moved in a new way. The dog remembered how the metal bolt had slid to one side. He nudged it over with one paw. It was not enough. He pulled his paw out and pushed it back through, one space over, and nudged the bolt again, until it would go no further. He pulled his paw free and butted the gate with his forehead. It swung open."

Evan sees a dog outside his house. He knows his mother (and probably his father too) will never allow him to have a dog but right from the beginning he seems to have a special connection with this white Border Collie dog. Meanwhile 'Dog' as he is called has run away from an intensely cruel situation. On the edge of town there is a dog breeder - he breeds Border Collie dogs and perhaps in the past he was kind but now he is drunk most of the time and the dogs are starving and horribly neglected.

Evan tracks down the dog kennels ironically named Happy Dog. He finds the stray and their friendship strengthens but Peter Grey, the owner, demands $5000 for this dog. There is no way Evan could ever find that much money.

In a book like this you just know early on that this cruel man is destined to be 'punished' in some way and so I cheered when he was hurt falling off a ladder. I cheered when Dog ran to Evan's house and then  made the boy run the 7 miles back to the kennels and I cheered (well no I won't tell you this part but this story does have a truly wonderful and happy ending). 

My biggest question at the end of this splendid book is about Evan's mother. I wanted to know more about her life and about her withdrawal from the world and about her previous dog. Mum cooks fantastic meals even though each recipe is different the meals follow a set pattern of stew, chicken, roast, soup and sandwiches, and a vegetarian meal. Her care with the food and of her garden and later of Evan when is feet are badly hurt gave me tiny glimpses into this important character. Evan's father is also a complex character but he does connect with his son and the scenes where they share meals together are very special. 

There are other minor characters in this story who are also interesting: Calder has alopecia; Kellen is very small for his age with huge ears and so is a victim of relentless bullying; and Hana has just had complex surgery to repair her leg and so she has limited mobility. Hana is an important character because she loves dogs and she is able to help Evan and answer his questions about the dreadful practice of puppy farms. 

If you are talking with your class about foreshadowing, you could use this passage:

"The driveway was rutted, uneven and dotted with clumps of yellowing weeds. It curved through a stand of trees then opened onto a large weedy lawn that hadn't been mowed for a long time (and there was) an old two-story farmhouse badly in need of paint."

I started to read Answers to Dog this morning and lifted my head early in the afternoon - this story engulfed me. I love the meaning of the title - the dog answers to the name Dog - although we do discover his real name is Samarkand (Sam for short).  In an interesting twist Evan's dad is named Sam and mum's previous dog that died aged 17 was called Evan. I guess also Evan finds some answers about his family and friends through his friendship with Sam and more importantly he makes some discoveries about himself. 

"Dad told me you named me after your dog,' Evan said. 'Not exactly,' she said. 'Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted a son named Evan, so really the dog was named after you, even though you weren't born yet.' 'What if I'd been born a girl?' 'I would have named you Evangeline."

How did I find this book? I am the sort of person who always has to spend time in bookshops. We have several shops in the CBD of the city. When I go into a bookshop - yes you are right - I have to buy a book. But which book to buy? I picked this one up because it is about dogs, it is about a boy and his love of one special dog (more of these at the end of this post) and it was published by Candlewick (Walker Books) and they consistently produce terrific books for kids. I do need to say I had never heard of Pete Hautman and I did not read the endorsement on the cover of the book until much later.

As always Ms Yingling gives an in depth review here. 

Whether it’s a dog in a kennel or a boy trapped within his solitary parents’ routines, themes of neglect and isolation dominate the story, although the author’s careful approach ensures that this heaviness is balanced by the presence of uplifting supporting characters, such as Hana Ganz, who’s a dog enthusiast despite her allergies, and track coach Mr. Raley, who displays subtle kindness. The balance of the third-person limited narration between the perspectives of Evan and the dog makes this an enjoyable gateway book for readers who typically prefer stories featuring talking animals. Kirkus

Publisher blurb: Evan doesn’t seem to fit in at school or at home. He goes out of his way to avoid attention. He sits at the back of the bus, keeps his head down in class, and keeps to himself. But when a burr-covered border collie—a survivor with a gut instinct about the Boy—starts following him around and joining him on his runs, Evan’s simple duck-and-dodge existence becomes a lot more complicated . . . a lot more like life. Evolving from wary companions to steadfast friends, Evan and the dog run fast and far together, thwart an abusive dog breeder and the school bully, and find the courage to stand up for themselves and to open up to those who matter most. Narrated in alternating viewpoints, this relatable contemporary novel with classic coming-of-age themes has all the hope, pathos, and emotional complexity that mark Pete Hautman’s books for middle-grade readers—and is a deeply satisfying read for animal lovers.

Pete Hautman says as a boy he loved dog stories by Jim Kjelgaard. 

Companion books for dog lovers:

One Dog and his Boy

Shiloh

The Way of Dog

Brave like that

Talking to Alaska

The truth as told to Mason Buttle

You could also look for this very old book which might be in your school library (content warning this one is very violent):

Out of print - published in 1991.

Companion book for kids who love running:

Ghost

Running my own race

Here are some other books by Pete Hautman:

The Moon's Revenge by Joan Aiken illustrated by Alan Lee

Seppy is the seventh son of a seventh son. His father is a coach-maker and he expects Seppy will follow this trade but Seppy's first love is music - playing his small, hand made violin. One night Seppy decides to visit an old ruined house in his small seaport town. He has the idea to ask the voices people say can be heard from inside:

"How can I learn to be the best fiddler in the country?"

The reply is strange:

"Throw your shoe at the moon. ... Each night for seven nights, throw your shoe at the moon."

Seppy's family are poor but he does have six elder brothers and his mother has kept all their shoes. They are inside the grandfather clock. 

I love the shoes that Seppy takes down to the beach each night: "a pair of tiny, soft, kid-skin shoes that he had worn when he was one-year old"; a "small rabbit-skin boot"; "a red crocodile-skin slipper that a lord's wife had given his mother"; "a doe-skin boot that a travelling musician had gien his mother in exchange for a plate of stew"; "a shiny calf-skin shoe with a pewter buckle"; "a sheep-skin slipper"; and on the seventh night he threw up one of his hog-skin clogs.

Each time he leaves the remaining shoe on the sea wall. And when he looks up on the final night he sees that the moon is now dirtied all over. Seppy has angered the moon. 

"Yes! I have to give you a wish, you impertinent boy! But you have marked my face for ever, with your dirt shoes, and for that I shall punish you. You must go barefoot for seven years. And until the day when you put those shoes back in the clock, your sister will not speak. And you and all your family will be in great danger, but I shan't tell you what it's going to be. You can just wait and see."

But Seppy does have a sister - or does he?

Things to think about - what does it mean to be the seventh son of a seventh son, and what about the word revenge, and the power of that curse, how the shoes might be linked to this, how Seppy (he is a hero of the story after all) might save the day or save his family and help his beloved sister to speak. And in the end will he gain his heart's desire and become a famous musician?

Here are some illustrations from this book:

I stumbled on an Instagrammer who is posting her favourite picture books from the past. She shared The Mirrorstone by Michael Palin illustrated by Alan Lee a couple of weeks ago. This book was one of two from a series - the other being The Moon's Revenge. I checked my blog and was slightly shocked to discover I had never shared this book here. I have read this book to hundreds of Grade 2 and 3 children in my school library. It is a winner as a read aloud and a terrific way to talk about fantasy stories. I also discovered I did not own this book and so I ordered a copy from Better World Books in the US and one week later my copy arrived. The Moon's Revenge was published in 1987 and so is long out of print. 

The Mirrorstone

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

"And that's when I saw him, my dad, staggering from the bedroom, his lips bloody, a pistol in his hand ... me and my mum kept rolling. The sound of the gun cocking. The sound of the door unlocking. As soon as she swung the door open, my dad fired a shot. He was shooting at us! My dad! ... One things is for sure, that was the night I learned how to run."

Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) thinks his true sport destiny is basketball - not that the other bigger kids will let him play but then he stumbles on the track and decides to join in a race and even though he is wearing the wrong shoes and the wrong clothes and he has had no training and has missed lunch he somehow wins the race. The coach can see this kid has potential and so he invites Ghost to train with his team. Ghost is not a kid who knows how to stick with things, but he does keep coming back to the track and he does try to master all the warmup drills and endurance races. He desperately wants to fit in and one way to do this would surely be wearing the right shoes but Ghost has no money and his mum is working hard and only just keeping them afloat.

"Where I live. Where I live. When anyone ever asks about where I live, I get weird because people always treat you funny when they find out you stay in a certain kind of neighborhood. But I was used to people treating me funny. When your clothes are two sizes too big, and you got no-name trainers, and your mother cuts your hair and it looks like your mother cuts your hair, you get used to people treating you funny."

The sport shop has so many fabulous shoes - surely it cannot hurt to just try them on. At this point in the story I actually called out a warning to Ghost but of course he didn't listen to me (after all I was only the reader, the  bystander, the observer).

Publisher blurb: Running. That’s all Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But Ghost has been running for the wrong reasons —until he meets Coach, an ex-Olympic Medalist who sees something in Ghost: crazy natural talent. If Ghost can stay on track, literally and figuratively, he could be the best sprinter in the city. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed, or will his past finally catch up to him?

Readers aged 10+ need to read this book especially those kids who ask for sport stories. Ghost is a quick book to read with only 200 pages and large print and a story that will keep you turning the pages. I read it in one sitting. Listen to a five-minute audio sample here. If you don't have this series in your school library please add all five books (see below) to your library wish list. I highly recommend Ghost - I wish I was still working in my school library because I would love to put this book into the hands of so many Grade 6 readers. 

An endearing protagonist runs the first, fast leg of Reynolds' promising relay. Kirkus Star review

Readers will quickly fall into step with Ghost’s slangy voice and will find themselves relating strongly to a character who’s just trying to get through each day with all the anger and hurt he feels about the cards life has sent his way. ... This story also interrogates our perception of wealth and poverty and the impact of poverty on kids. Finally, at its core, the story is about healing, moving forward from the need to escape oneself because of past trauma. Reading Middle Grade

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a UK Carnegie Medal winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors, a Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Margaret A. Edwards Award. He was also the 2020–2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His debut picture book, There Was a Party for Langston, won a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. He lives in Washington, DC. 

The most perfect book to read after Ghost is not about sport - it is about shoes!

The Wrong Shoes

I am very late in my discovery this fabulous book from 2018 but I am now totally hooked, and I can't wait to read the rest of the Track series (and that is fairly unusual for me as I don't always continue with a series). All of the books are currently available but might need to be ordered from your local independent bookstore. Colby Sharp shared the newest book from the series - Coach. You can see more books by Jason Reynolds here and notice how many have award stickers on their covers. 

The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival

From the opening lines of this book a reader will know this will be a story filled with raw emotions, pain and sadness but hopefully also, well, hope!

"This is no fairy tale. Not unless it's one of those really old fashioned ones, where basically a whole load of terrible stuff happens to some poor unsuspecting kid. ... But you know what? Even in those stories where people get ripped in half, chewed up and spat out, eventually there's a happy ending. And that's the difference, see? Because this is just my life, and nothing's guaranteed."

Will is a high school student. He lives with his dad who has lost his job and has been in a workplace accident. Mum left some time ago and she lives in a different part of the city with her new partner. There is no money which means there is very little food and certainly no extras - go back and read the title - Will IS wearing the wrong shoes. No, this does not mean they are not the latest fashion though of course that is true. But there is more to it. These shoes are wrong because they are old, second hand, and have a split in the sole. When it rains, and it seems to rain quite a lot in this story, Will's feet get wet. His feet are cold and Will is cold and he is also hungry. These shoes also mean he stands out at school and is an easy target for bullies and cruel comments. Will also has no school supplies, and his school bag is from years ago. His one consolation is that he loves to draw. But as the story opens Will bumps into the school bully. It is raining, his shoes are wrong and then Chris Tucker (the bully) grabs Will's bag and his precious notebook filled with drawings is thrown into a puddle. And this is only the first of a series of utterly dreadful events.

Will does have one true friend but Cameron has such different life circumstances. His family are well off. He lives in a large comfortable home, and he has plenty to eat and he has in fact just been given expensive new shoes. In an act of kindness Cameron offers his old shoes to Will, but Will cannot see this as a kindness. He thinks Cameron's offer comes from pity. Will is way too proud to accept charity and so this precious friendship is shattered.

Meanwhile Will gains some information about Chris Tucker. He sees him being recruited into a gang of older kids who commit crimes around the town such as shoplifting and probably worse. Chris suddenly changes his manner towards Will. He seems to understand what it is like to live on the 'wrong side of town'. But Will needs to be careful because Chris has his own purposes for befriending Will and before too long Will is going to find himself in a shop stealing something for Chris. 

Tom Percival does give his readers one tiny glimpse of hope early in this story when Will sees a huge and majestic owl. Later in his art class at school he draws this special creature and his art teacher pays Will a huge compliment.

"That's incredible,' says Mr Prince. 'Really, it's remarkable ...' His warm deep voice pauses ... Usually I'm about as happy to get a compliment as a cat is to be sprayed with cold water, but on this occasion I smile. He's right. It really is something special - even I can see that."

Then there is the good news about an art competition with a huge money prize but remember those opening sentences I shared at the start of this post. Perhaps real life is not actually about happy endings?

Books enable us to see into lives we have no awareness of, and they also can reflect our own situations back at us, making us feel seen. I hope that any child who reads this book and is currently struggling will take Will’s resilience, determination and hope to heart and will keep going, keep working as hard as they can to do the best that they can, despite the obvious unfairness of it all. Tom Percival in The Big Issue

You will hold your breath reading this book. In fact I had to keep putting it down and desperately hoping other terrible things would not happen to Will. I am so glad I have read this book. The writing is so powerful - I was hugely invested in Will. I wanted to help him, talk to him, comfort him and guide him to stop and think about his choices and reactions. I kept hoping he would reach out to the adults in his life - his dad (he thinks he needs to protect him); his mum and her partner; and his teachers especially his wonderful art teacher. 

Huge congratulations to Tom Percival on his first full length novel. Here is an interview with Books for Keeps. The interview says:  ‘Realistically I wanted it to be a good story, a good journey, for people to feel transported. I want them to feel Will is real, that they’ve met him and understand him a bit. I want people like Will to feel seen, for people to make an effort to understand them even if they’ve misjudged them, and I want the Wills to feel that they’re right to be angry, that things aren’t fair and shouldn’t be like that.’

I picked this book up from one of our large chain bookstores in the city. They have a display shelf as you walk into the children's book section with the new release titles. The bottom shelves are usually Middle Grade and Younger and then as you go up the shelves the titles move to Young Adult. The Wrong Shoes was on a low shelf BUT from my reading I'd like to suggest it is a Young Adult title - I would say 12+. 

It is, at times, quite a dark tale. I felt so desperately sorry for Will, and his emotional turmoil is so raw sometimes it's very moving. And yet there is always this glimmer of hope underneath. The hope of things turning out for the best in the end. The story ends in a positive manner, but gratifyingly without an unbelievable 'everything is brilliant' ending, making it a more realistic and therefore satisfying conclusion. The Bookbag (this is a fabulous review but she suggests ages 9+ but I think this book is way too confronting for that age.)

• ‘An extraordinary, powerful and moving book that has the potential to change lives.’ Hannah Gold
• ‘Every chapter is full of experience & empathy & most importantly, heart’ Phil Earle
• ‘Reading fiction is about walking in the shoes of people whose lives are very different to ours and allowing more readers to see themselves in stories. The Wrong Shoes is the perfect example of both – the right book at the right time’ Tom Palmer
• ‘A brilliant book – such a perfect marriage of words and illustrations and an important story told with real heart’ Christopher Edge
• ‘A hopeful, honest, big-hearted read. You’ll be rooting for the main character, Will, from the very first page . . .’ Clara Vulliamy

Here are some other books I recommend. They are all for readers aged 11+ but they have similar themes and tone:

The Truth as told to Mason Buttle

Shelter

A different dog

Night bus Hero

As right as rain

I recognised the author Tom Percival on the cover of The Wrong Shoes.  I really enjoyed some of his previous picture book titles:

The Invisible

The River

The Sea Saw

Herman's Letter

The King with Dirty Feet by Sally Pomme Clayton illustrated by Rhiannon Sanderson

Blurb from the illustrator web page: There once was a king who hated bath time so much that he never washed. He was a very smelly king! The king finally consents to bathe in the river but no matter how clean he is, his feet stay dirty. The people sweep away all the dirt in the land - but the air is choked with dust. The dust gets washed away but now the land is flooded with water. An enormous tapestry is sewn to cover the whole kingdom but now nothing will grow on the land... What is to be done?

This book would be a wonderful read aloud for Grade One or Two in your school library and it is available in paperback for a good price.  After reading The King with Dirty Feet you could explore folktales from around the world. I found this book yesterday in a display for Diwali - the wonderful Teacher-Librarian displayed a big selection of stories from India. 

Here is her list of Indian folktales:

• The Elephant's Friend by Marcia Williams

• The Old Woman and the Red Pumpkin by Betsy Bang

• No Dinner! by Jessica Souhami

• Grandma and the Great Gourd by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

• Monkey by Gerald McDermott

• The Monkey and the Crocodile by Paul Galdone

• Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young

• Under the Great Plum Tree by Sufiya Ahmed

• Once a Mouse... by Marcia Brown

• Pattan's Pumpkin by Chitra Soundar

• The Elephant's Garden by Jane Ray

• Jamil's Clever Cat by Fiona French

• Manu and the Talking Fish by Roberta Arenson

• The Tiger Child by Joanna Troughton

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a number of useful Pinterest collections:

• Pourquoi Stories
• India
• Middle Eastern Picture Books
• Asian Stories and Folktales

Image Source: Rhi Sanderson

Here is the webpage for the illustrator Rhiannon Sanderson. The King with Dirty Feet is listed for the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge K-2. Here is a teacher activity set from the publisher. IBBY UK have penned a review. 

This new version of an old story is brought to life by an acclaimed storyteller so it is easy to hear yourself reading it aloud to a captivated audience while the colourful, detailed illustrations  show a different kind of king and kingdom to challenge the stereotype. The Bottom Shelf

There’s something comforting and timeless about folktales; I love the pure simplicity of the storytelling, while the deeper meanings and lessons within the narrative are always quite profound. Folktales are not only a wonderful way to teach life lessons, but they are fabulously entertaining and a sure-fire way to ignite a love of stories in young children. Reading Time

Companion book - not a folktale and not about shoes but instead this is about not taking a bath!:

This book might also be in your library:

Post update - this week (June 2026) I listened to the Teacher-Librarian reading The King with Dirty Feet to groups of Grade 2 students. It occurred to me that The King with Dirty Feet is also a book you could use with older students prior to reading Sparrow Girl as a way to initiate a discussion about consequences.

Sparrow Girl

Ariba: an old tale about new shoes by Masha Manapov

Marcus is so excited to have new shoes they even have flashing lights. 

Image source: Enchanted Lion

When he tells his Grandpa about the shoes, Grandpa recounts a story from long ago about another pair of shoes.

I enjoyed the way this book contains a story within a story and the final scene is sure to make you smile.

Publisher blurb Enchanted Lion: Marcus’ joy over a new pair of shoes reminds his grandfather of an old story about a boy named Ariba and his adventure-loving shoes. Every time Ariba put his shoes on, something crazy would happen. Once they even took him climbing to the peak of the yellow mountain! But one day, Ariba decides he’s going to move from his small village to the city on the other side of the mountains. When he arrives, he buys all new things—including a new pair of shoes. His new life has no room for the old pair. And yet, wouldn’t you know it? No matter what he does, the shoes keep finding their way back to him…

This story is great fun to share with young listeners, who will giggle each time the shoes make their way back to Ariba and will be delighted to recognize Ariba’s shoes at the end. Older readers will appreciate the gentle thread about staying connected to one’s roots. Kirkus Star review

Masha Manapov was born in Azerbaijan and grew up in Tel Aviv. She now lives in England. Ariba is her first book as author and illustrator. Here is an excellent and detailed interview with Masha. She mentions two of her favourite childhood books were Ronia the Robber’s Daughter and The Brothers Lionheart both by Astrid Lindgren. You can see art from Ariba here. I have one extra question for Masha - I would like to read the original African folktale or a version of this folktale which inspired her book.

If you read this book to a group of older students you could also share this photography project where Shannon Jensen took photos of shoes worn by refugees.  The images are amazing, sad, important, and are sure to lead to a deep discussion. Take a look at this post by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything.

Here is the perfect companion read to use with Ariba:

Those Shoes

You might also look at Grandma's treasured shoes.

Agnes and Clarabelle by Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel illustrated by Sara Palacios

There are four short seasonal stories in this colourful beginner chapter book. Agnes is a little pig and Clarabelle is a chicken and they are the best of friends. I especially liked the way each story had an unexpected ending. Yes the stories do meet the criteria of "happily every after" but things don't always feel perfect and this is okay.

1. Spring: Surprise Party

It's Clarabelle's birthday. She'd love a "surprise" party. The pair work out the plan for the venue, food, decorations, games and guests. BUT Clarabelle has one big worry. What if her friend Willa forgets to come? The party is a huge success but indeed Willa does not arrive. "That's okay ... even if my birthday's not perfect, it's still perfect."

2. Summer: Beach Day

Agnes does not like new experiences, she does not want to go to the beach. Clarabelle is such a great friend and she works so hard to make the day wonderful. When they arrive Clarabelle just cannot go onto the sand or into the water. Agnes decides to set up their towels and umbrella in the carpark. It's not quite perfect but it's close enough.

3. Fall: New Sneakers

Clarabelle needs new sneakers. Her toes are peeking through the old ones so the pair of friends head off to the big department store. Clarabelle is scared but Agnes promises to stay close. In all the crowds the pair are separated. Clarabelle is frantic. She cannot find her friend. Agnes is a resourceful friend. She uses the store announcement system to guide Clarabelle back to the main floor and the information desk. Clarabelle finds her way but she is so upset she cannot focus on sneakers. No problem Agnes has a spare pair which will be just fine.

4. Winter: Perfect Pizza

Making pizza is a great idea with chestnuts, popcorn, cheese and white chocolate chips. It looks too good to eat!

Read the Kirkus review. And one in the School Library Journal. You can see some work by the illustrator Sara Palacios on her web site. Here is the second book about this pair of unlikely (but very special) friends.

Grandma's treasured Shoes by Coral Vass illustrated by Christina Huynh

The first thing I noticed when reading Grandma's treasured shoes was the power of contrasting language.  On the opening pages the shoes are:

Walk to the park shoes
Dance in the dark shoes
Fun shoes and sun shoes
Out and about shoes
Splash in the rain shoes

Then the reader turns the page and the tone completely changes. Grandma does have lots of shoes but her favourite shoes are worn and torn. They come from a different place and time:

They're old shoes
Frail shoes
Dusty and pale shoes
Hidden with secrets
Remarkable tales

These are the old shoes Grandma wore back as a small child back in her village in Vietnam. She wore them when the family were forced to flee, with no luggage, with just the shoes on her feet.  They became escaping shoes as the family embark on a long and very dangerous boat journey.

Here are some more of the powerful words in this text
trembling shoes
teary shoes
roaming shoes
weary shoes

This book is written for very young children and it is a gentle way to share the journey of refugees. Grandma (who was a very young child when she left Vietnam) arrives to the new land and is given new shoes. The repeated text from the opening pages gives the story a very satisfying sense of completion. Grandma may be old now but she keeps her little childhood shoes as a memory of times past and as a memory of her new life in Australia.

Here is a very detailed set of teaching notes.

And here is the web site for the illustrator Christina Huynh. You can read an interview with Christina. 

Coral Vass is the author of Sorry Day which has been short listed by the CBCA in 2019 for the Eve Pownall award. 

If you are working with older students it would be interesting to compare this text with the famous poem Choosing Shoes by Frida Wolfe. Coral Vass talks about the inspiration behind this story. I know it is far away but I would like to see this book - Grandma's Treasured Shoes listed by the CBCA for the 2020 awards either as a notable title or, even better, on the early childhood short list.

Read more about this book in this review from The Bottom Shelf.