Those Shoes

Another purchase in Portland... Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts.  My friend, Mimi, recommended this book to me and it quickly went on my purchase pile.  I was shopping with my friends and colleagues, Mimi and Shannon, from Seattle.  They made the trek down so we could eat, visit, share stories, and shop!  And, laugh... a lot!

      In this book, Jeremy, the main character wants "those" shoes... the ones that everyone in school is wearing, the cool shoes.  His wise grandmother tries to explain the difference between want and need, reminding him that that new snowboots are much more necessary.  

     One day at school, his old shoes completely fall apart and the principal finds him a pair in lost and found... and the embarrassment of wearing them makes him want the "cool" shoes all the more.  He finds a pair at a thrift store and his grandmother lets him buy them with his own money and despite the fact that they don't fit he buys them... 

     He tries to wear the shoes, but realizes that wearing shoes that are too small just isn't worth it.  He realizes that the things he has (needs) like warm boots and a grandmother who loves him far outweigh the pain of the new shoes (wants) and he leaves them on the doorstep of his friend who has smaller feet...  

     The last page of the book has the two friends running off in the snow to play.

     This is a delightful book that wil lend itself to some great discussion about the difference between wanting something and needing something... I plan to use it during our upcoming study of Synthesis as a shared experience on the gradual release model.  And, I might just let my own children take a look (we seem to be having this discussion a lot lately).