Shoes Books

My almost 3-year old daughter received this as a gift and has really enjoyed it. She has always loved shoes, so it was a great gift for her. The rhyme is clever and I'm especially impressed with the quality of the illustrations.

Our granddaughter loves shows, hers as well as her parents. This book was an excellent read for her to think about the possibilities for her future. It's colorful and engaged her from the start.

This was a wonderful book. After reading the book to my 6 year old it was wonderful watching her try on all of my different types of shoes and letting her imagination run wild.

I enjoyed this book as much as my seven year old granddaughter did. It was also a great book for her to practice reading to me. Loved the concept of the shoes - you'll see when you read it.

What a charming book, It has it all. It is a simple, easy to read book with beautiful pictures. What is nice is that it carries a positive message to all children, and plants the seed, You are special and you can grow up to live your dreams! Maureen Geracitano

Do you remember when the Meg Ryan character walked into Tom Hanks' FOX BOOKS store and the customer asked about the "Shoes" books, and a monologue about the wonders of Noel Streatfeild's "Shoes" books ensued, touching on Dancing Shoes, Ballet Shoes, and Skating Shoes, which is absolutely wonderful? That scene made me break down crying, because I had never heard anyone other than myself talk about these terrific books, and the fact that it is tragic that they are mostly out of print and hard to find. This book is a wonderful story of working hard for a goal, and accomplishing it, or at least getting on the road to achieving a reasonable, yet magical, goal. This one is less "artistic" and more "home" focused than the other SHOES books. If you want a great book for your favorite elementary school girl, buy this one - then buy the other "Shoes" books (and get a copy of Tennis Shoes for your favorite boy too!)

"New Shoes" is one of the most enchanting of Noel Streatfeild's delightful stories. With all the warmth of its prequel, "Family Shoes," it has a refreshing newness and youth. Cathy and Alex and their four children accept the bishop's invitation to a new church in a new town outside London, and all the children join together to help make Crestal New Town proud of itself. The children's talents expand on this broader stage, and the book is so vivid, so vital, so absorbing that you'll enjoy it even if you have not yet read "Family Shoes." The publishers were mad to allow this gem to go out of print. Please reprint it!

At the beginning of this sequel to Family Shoes, the Bishop has asked Rev. Alex Bell to move to a new parish, a depressed housing project outside London. The residents there seem entirely lacking in community and church spirit, and indifferent to their new vicar. Because the Bishop has urged each of the Bell children to find a way to make the new assignment a success, each uses her or his initiative to make connections between the vicarage and the community. By the end, they've learned an important lesson: people become invested in each other by *doing things together* to improve their community, rather than by having those improvements done for them.

Streatfeild's books are among my favorites to re-read, but they are markedly formulaic: each has three or four kids, one of whom is pretty, and one who is plain or fat. One or two will be talented and driven, one gifted but unmotivated, and one lazy and often resentful of her position within the family. Almost all of the children in her books end up being essentially responsible, family-oriented, enterprising, and good problem-solvers when they learn to work together, using their different skills. What saves these books is Streatfeild's ability to capture the little resentments and solidarities of family life. As well, even the less likeable characters tend to become more sympathetic, because they grow in realistic ways. Ginnie Bell, Jane Winter, and Nicky Heath all mature through their escapades, but they do not really repent or fundamentally change - they certainly continue to infuriate their siblings!

Streatfeild's refusal to thoroughly reform her characters keeps the books from being saccharine-sweet and makes possible some truly touching moments. In New Shoes, this moment comes when we see Ginnie's realization that her smug, horribly spoiled cousin Veronica is desperately lonely. Although Ginnie certainly uses Veronica's desire for attention to get what she, herself, wants, by the end of the book she has ensured that her cousin's parents see their daughter in a different light.

"New Shoes" is a delectable sequel to "Family Shoes." The book can stand on its own, but it will make you eager to read the first adventures of the Bell family. Reverend Alexander Bell accepts a call to a church in a new town outside London, where the bishop thinks the new town needs not only Alex but Cathy and the childrem, Paul, Jane, Ginnie, and Angus, to help make the new town proud of itself. The blossoming of the children's talents, Ginnie's adventures with Admiral Oakley, what it takes for Mrs. Gage to stay with the family, the surprise reappearance of Miss Bloggs, Aunt Rose, Uncle Alfred, and Veronica (we all have relatives!), Ginnie's plotting to remain at St. winifred's, and the transforming effect of the Bell family on the new town,create a book you'll read over and over. Don't miss Ginnie's debut in the national press!

This is a super cute book. In this book Baby Bop looses her shoes. She trys getting the cat to help her look for them, but the cat kept finding the wrong shoes. I think this is adorable because of the kinds of shoes they find for her.

I loved this book and truly enjoyed reading it to my grandchildren. Baby Bop cannot find her shoes!
She goes through the house looking for them and trying on many different pairs, from high heels to cowboy boots. Does she find her shoes?
The illustrations are colorful and the pictures large bringing the story truly to life.
It is simple reading and also teaches young children about different shoes. A really fun book for young and old to share.
Shirley Johnson

This is a fun read-a-long book for use with the very young. The pictures are bright, the text is simple. Baby Bop has lost her shoes and goes through the normal search any child would through the house to find them. The little ones enjoy this one and that is what is most important in a child's book. Recommend this one highly.

This was my first real lesson in children's books. I was picking the hip, educational books that I thought that I should pick for my young toddler. But she was drawn to different books. She loved the repetitive nature of "Where Are My Shoes?". She asked for it over and over again for a couple of months. It was the first book that she "read" to me. And, of course, she was drawn to those Barney characters (Baby Bop) who were featured in it. I've learned my lesson -- now I pick books that appeal to her. After all, the idea is to foster a love of books.

I used to read this to my fifteen year old when she was little,she remembered it still, so I ordered it to read to my three year old.I had forgotten how well it was illustrated, and how kid friendly it was.I defenitely will NOT mind ready this one over and over again,,,,,again!Great book,cute storyline, and wonderful illustrations are sure to make this a favotite of your children too.

Sarah's old boots make a special sound and the fit just right. But then one day they have shrunk and no amount of stretching by filling them with rocks and other means will ever make them fit her again. When they go to the store to buy a new pair of boots the only ones they have are yellow with a fire engine red stripe and Sarah will never like them! They are taken home. She gives her favorite boots to her brother and he loves them because they fit him perfectly. After it's rained again Sarah's family pulls on their boots. And when they play in the puddles Sarah's new boots make a different sound, but she doesn't mind after a while because they are just as much fun as the old ones and now she is enjoying the puddles with her brother.

The Pictures are well done because they cause you to be drawn into the story and feel exactly how Sarah felt thru the detailed expressions on her face and the characters used to compliment her.

Opinion: Most well done childrens books (at least in my experience) become memories when children grow up, thru the illustrator's pictures, if they're done well. And then the story is remembered thru that art not usually the other way around, in ages about 1-8 or so, then as they start to get into books that are more grown up they create their own pictures thru imagination so illustrations aren't as important in older childrens books.

This book is very helpfull in helping children come to grips with having to give there favorite shoes away because they are too small. It helps them to see the advantages to growing older and getting new things.

My son received this book for Christmas, and we both loved it. The story line is really cute, and the pictures in it are great! I'd recommend this book to anyone with small kids.

This is a great read. I laughed out loud from beginning to end, even though there were moments of seriousness in the book, the fun experiences and Mike Walsh's ability to convey the humor was terrific. Great for mature audiences due to some bad language.

An enjoyable and amusing book about the author's road trip to bowl in all 50 states, inspired by his recently-deceased father's goal to play handball in all 50 states. Written in a very funny, conversational style, we tag along on visits to bowling alleys ranging from a classy Manhattan one with a $20 cover charge and a bouncer, to dark, smoky dumps in seedy neighborhoods. At each alley, we are introduced to the characters who work there, and the colorful patrons Walsh engages in conversation. En route, he stays with just about any acquaintance who can provide him with a bed (or floor) for the night, from former bosses and classmates to friends of friends. His hosts for the night can be as quirky as the bowlers he meets, and plenty of partying and beer consumption occur. Walsh quit his job as an advertising executive to take this trip and write about it, and I hope that he has found a new calling as an author--it would be a shame not to read more from him.

I am proud to say that I was Mike Walsh's fifth grade teacher. This is a fabulous book and it will keep you laughing.

Jeanne Koehl

This is the true story of a man who does what many in their late 20's always dream about, wander with a purpose. The author is a man in his late 20s, several years into the grind of life, who experiences the death of his father. This leads him to analyze his own life and is the catalyst for an adventure his father first started but was interrupted by life (work, family etc.) Walsh's dry wit and insights keeps the narrative moving along and is what separates this from a standard tale of a "quarter life crisis." I laughed out loud on a dozen different occasions.

"Bowling..." does a wonderful job capturing the angst, dilemmas and sources of happiness that is so typical of that segment of life. Walsh does a masterful job weaving in past experiences into the present that paints a wonderful self-portrait and offers the reader ample opportunity to relate. Scattered throughout are some wonderful insights on bowling, life, family and relationships. This is a great read.

A fascinating and inspirational account of Tsui Chi Hsii's (Charlie Two Shoe's) long-suffering odyssey to come to the United States with his family. It turns out to be a lot more complicated story than you might expect and has the potential for being a Hell of a movie, with lots of opportunities for scenery chewing, but that probably won't happen. In fact there probably won't even be any paperback updating of the still unfinished story at time of publication because one of the coauthors, Michael Peterson, is now a convicted murderer whose other books are long out of print.

Life is truly stranger than fiction.

My boyfriend bought me this book for Christmas, and I was thrilled. Not only am I a social studies teacher and a history buff, but I am priviledged enough to know Charlie Two Shoes. He owns a business in the town where I live and is always there with a smile and a friendly word. He autographed my book with the inscription "May God bless you and yours with health and joy." When I went by today to thank him for the inscription, he told me that there is a lot of history in this book that is not often told. While I have not yet finished the book, I have enjoyed what I have read so far. No matter what crimes have been committed by one of the authors, you should take the time to buy this book and read the interesting true life story of a truly wonderful man.

Charlie Two Shoes is a fascinating story of one man's friendship with a group of US Marines and his incredible perseverence in getting re-united with them. Peterson and Perlmutt tell the story through Charlie's eyes and those of his Marine pals. They give us an intriguing look at life behind the Bamboo Curtain. More amazing than Charlie's budding friendship -- he was around the Marines for about four years as a teenager -- is his enduring perseverance in keeping his dream of a reunion alive. The dream survived decades, including years in a Chinese prison and more under house arrest in his small village. After all that, his eventual reunion in the U.S. had drama of its own. One Marine buddy turned out to be more interested in his own fortunes than Charlie's,and Charlie's efforts to stay got mired as much in domestic politics as international. A good read by gifted writers.

Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company is not only an inspiring story about friendships and loyalty, but also an excellent retelling of some little known American history. Set in Northern China starting at the end of World War II and continuing to recent times, the reader will learn about the atrocities visited upon the Chinese peasantry by the Japanese, the communist take over of China and America's futile efforts to stop it, the severe poverty and starvation the Chinese people endured, and the political repression and corruption that continued for years. Into the shadows of these desolate and hopeless conditions, the warmth and charity that the American Marines and missionaries brought with them to China and to a young boy, nick-named Charlie, shine brightly. The reader is invited on a journey through Charlie's life of joys and travails, but is pulled aside by the authors from time to time for some excellent and concise description of the historical context. Thus this true tale of friendship and suffering also enables the reader to also learn the larger story of the historical events which ultimately were its cause.

Andrea Perry's collection of inventions that never were...but some day may be...is one of the wittiest books of rhyme I have ever read. Kids will love it - but it's also fun for all adults who haven't forgotten how to laugh. Ms. Perry's infectious cadence and rhyme are matched only by the ingenuity of her offbeat creations. She has out-Seussed Dr. Seuss!

Here's what you do when you can't find your shoe is an incredible book! Andrea Perry is an incredible author as well! she was my typing teacher when i was in 5th and 6th grades and her book reflects here personality incredibly! she is funny and fun to be around! Her book is very good for children! I hope there's more on the way Mrs. Perry!

Andrea Perry is an incredibly talented and creative poet. She has tapped into the interests, concerns and humor common to all children with this book.

My son roared with laughter, begging me to re-read many of Ms. Perry's clever poems. He especially loved "Veggies Be Gone", a hilarious ode to the hatred of all things green and leafy.

Alan Snow's wonderful illustrations captivate the reader. They bring Ms. Perry's words to even more vibrant, vivid life.

I would highly recommend this book for any child, or anyone who has been a child. It delights readers of all ages.

Andrea Perry certainly creates a wonderful world with words. With zany solutions to everyday problems, she brings adults and kids into a place where the answer makes us all smile.

Each time you read it, something new reveals itself. The cleverness is endless. Alan Snow acheives the same with elaborate illustrations.

My kid audience can't hear these stories enough, nor can I read them enough!

This is a fantastic book to be enjoyed by EVERYONE!

This was the first book by Jennifer Weiner that I had read, and I am now a huge fan! The story is great, and made the book a quick read. I was excited when I heard about the movie, but, as usual, the movie pales in comparison to the book. It is hard to understand why the characters behave the way they do when you are missing big chunks of the story. Anyway, this was a great read!

This is the book that made me fall in love with Jennifer Weiner. I could not put the book down! I also read it before seeing the movie. I cried, laughed, enjoyed this book.

I loved this book! I had seen the movie version when it first came out a few years back and can't believe it took me so long to read the book. I think this is Jennifer Weiner's finest effort at character development thus far. I know many women who see part of themselves in the character of Rose and it was a joy to follow her on her path to happiness.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I had no idea who the author was or the type of book it was. I Really loved this book and of course, the book is always better that the movie. I really loved this "chick-lit" and I read alot of books from different genres. I am now a fan of Jennifer Weiner.

When you're both innocent and a perfectionist, the one thing that you would never want, at least if you're Jade Haddock, is change. Jade was used to being the one that her parents could depend on. She was used to being in the shadow while her best friend, Stephanie Simmons, was in the spotlight. And she was used to having a normal family.

But everything started to change. Her brother started having problems, both at school and at home. He started drinking and lying to their parents, causing Jade to be in the middle of the chaos. Jade's life changed when her best friend introduced her to the new guy, Rob. Sure, her best friend liked him, but Jade couldn't help feeling something toward him, too. Everything changed when problems started to rise up for Jade--and for once she did not know what to do or how to solve them.

Julie A. Gorges writes JUST CALL ME GOODY-TWO-SHOES to perfection. A fast-paced, well-developed quick read, this book will make us think about choices we have to make. Gorges creates a character where everyone feels her pain and wants to help her solve her problems. For her first novel, Gorges captivates the real teen angst that will move the reader. Don't let the size of the book fool you, because inside are some of the best words and sentences and paragraphs that you will ever read.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

I've got to say this book is outstanding for being Julie's first fictional novel. It has an interesting story that most teenagers can related to, and even adults that remember what its like to grow up in high school. Even though the main character is a young girl, and me being a twenty year old dude, I still found it an enjoyable read all the way threw.

I don't have much time to set aside to read, so being able to get threw this book in a few hours is great for me, and for teenagers with a short attention span. Its nice to see a book that can show how holding back you feelings, and being dishonest with a close friend can be quite harmful.

I gave this book the five starts, because I think it is a perfect fit for the demographic Julie Gorges is aiming for. So even if you are an adult, or a light reader, I highly consider picking up a copy of this book for either yourself or a friend.

I was rooting for Jade as she realized that she had a crush on the same guy her best friend was dating and as her family struggled with her brother's addictions. Julie Gorges realistically captures the internal struggle of a teen trying to do the right thing and at the same time not betray her best friend or her brother. I'd highly recommend this book to teens or anyone who is young at heart and remembers the pain and joy of being a teen-ager.

A very good read. Who hasn't met charactors like these at their own school? I'm looking forward to more stories from this author!

'Never Spit on Your Shoes' is about Arnie,a dog, and his first day of first grade. It is so funny. Parents can get a inside look at what the first day of school is really like. Very Cute! If you like this story, you should read, "Are There Any Questions?' by Denys Cazets.

My children (ages 2 1/2 to 7) love this book and request it's reading every day (sometimes more than once in a day!). The author has definitely had a Kindergarten to First Grader and knows first hand what their transition is like. Everytime we read it, we see something new and funny. It it a very funny book, and whether you're a kid or a parent, it's a must read.

If you are a first grade teacher you will just love this book. Everything about it is so true. From the time the kids walk in the door they are asking, "Is it time for lunch? When do we play? Is it time to go home?...). This is great! Get it! Share it! Enjoy it!

The title of this book put me off a bit but my first grader absolutely loved it. After I picked it up, I could see why. It is a terrifically funny, endearing look at the first day of first grade. A surefire winner among kids in the 5-6 age range.