Maribeth Boelts

This book is fantastic! I initially came across it on a list of picture books that introduce kids to the concepts of poverty and homelessness. I think this is a very important topic for kids to learn that they often don’t until they are older, which causes many misconceptions in their early interactions with others.

Those Shoes tells the story of a boy who needs new shoes and really wants the ones that everyone else is wearing, you know: the high tops with the stripes on the sides. The show more shoes that make you look cool, and supposedly even run faster! But when his grandma can’t afford the shoes he wants, they decide to try and find them at local thrift stores. They go from store to store and finally find a pair that are perfect aside from the fact that they are too small. Still, Jeremy shoves his feet in and tries to wear the shoes. This of course end up working against the point of shoes and is hurting his feet. When Jeremy sees another boy in his class that also doesn’t seem to have enough money to afford new shoes, and whose feet are a little smaller than his, he eventually decides to give him the shoes. They are a perfect fit for his classmate and Jeremy is happy to see it even after he struggled with whether to give them up or not. Jeremy learns to be grateful for the snug, functional boots his grandma got him when it snows at the end of the book.

This book covers so many topics that are important for kids to see in books. First of all is the obvious topic of poverty and how there will be things your family won’t always be able to afford but you can still find ways to get what you need. Another topic is that of wanting the popular fads. We have all wanted something so bad before just because it’s what everyone else had, but it didn’t make that thing any better once we actually got it. The shoes were just shoes, and they weren’t even particularly suited for the season. Yet another great thing shown here is that Jeremy seems to live with just his grandma, so she is providing for them on her own and it shows a different family type other than the “nuclear” one that is more typically shown. I also really appreciate that instead of just giving his shoes over, it showed Jeremy really struggle with it at first. It’s not always easy to give up that idea of something you really wanted even though it would be better for someone else.

I also enjoyed the illustrations and would overall highly recommend this book as being both a great story and having super important topics for kids to learn about! show less

Kaia, a round-faced girl with a pug nose and bushy brown hair, has a problem. She is super brave except for one thing - bees. And her dad (black) raises bees on their roof. After a run-in with some neighborhood kids, Kaia decides to face her fears, and, getting dressed, joins her dad on the roof. Her mom (white) is a quiet but supportive presence. Things are going great, but then - a bee stings Kaia on her finger! Determined to never go near the bees again, she retreats. Her dad doesn't push show more her and, later, she and her mom help harvest the honey (without going near the bees!). Then Kaia sees... BEES! Three of them! Inside the house! Will she scream, swat them, and run away? Or will she find her courage to let the bees go, even if they might sting her?

Boelts does a wide range of picture books and she's done several with a "message" that I think work very well. This works equally as an instructional book about facing your fears and as a story. Facts about bees are woven into the story, as Kaia's dad explains to her how bees work. I loved that Kaia didn't immediately become brave after the first time she faced her fears - the worst thing DID happen, she was stung, and she's upset and unwilling to try again. Her parents don't push her (one wonders if her mom is equally nervous around bees, since she's never shown interacting with them) and eventually she figures out a way to cope.

Dominguez has drawn a vibrant city landscape and a warm, supportive family. In addition to Kaia's family, another neighbor with two kids in her building is shown with their caregivers depicted as an older, female Asian-American woman and a bearded white man with a cane.

Verdict: The text in this is longer, so I wouldn't use it in a typical toddler or most preschool storytimes. However, it's a great choice for a classroom teacher wanting to talk about bees or facing your fears. It's also a great choice for kids to read and discuss, whether they are afraid of bees or not. Kaia's gradual process towards managing her fear is beautifully drawn and this is a sweet and relatable story that elementary kids should find both interesting and educational.

ISBN: 9781536201055; Published March 2020 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library show less

This picture book hits so many perfect points it's hard to know where to begin.

Sierra loves to play soccer and is thrilled that's she's been accepted for a team that plays in a real field, with coaches and "shiny girls." But she's sad that her aunt, whom she lives with, can never come to see her play. When her aunt is finally able to come watch her game, it gets rained out. Then Sierra has an idea; have a game at the old field near her home. Finally, the people she knows and loves can see show more her play in her own neighborhood.

Lauren Castillo's illustrations are beautifully restrained, filling in the emotion that lies behind the text and gently illustrating both the similarities and differences of the girls.

What I love about this story is it has so many levels and it's pitch-perfect. There's Sierra's poetic enjoyment of soccer, her determination to share that love with her family, and her creative thinking outside the box. Sierra has a very different life than the other girls on the team, but she isn't trying to change her family or herself; she wants to involve her own world in the sport she loves. She's a valued player on the team, but she knows she's an outsider and she's ok with that. There isn't a moment where she is suddenly accepted into the tight friendship of the other girls and that's one of the most skillfully handled aspects of this plot. Sierra's life may seem underprivileged to the other girls and she certainly has challenges they don't have to face, but she has friends and family in her own neighborhood and doesn't feel a need to transform herself into the girls she plays with. So many stories about kids who are poor or have broken families seem to show them as coming from an empty or worthless background, with the focus on changing them to fit into a new, better life. In this book, all the girls have friends, family, and a love of soccer in common and even if they're not best friends, they work together so everyone can celebrate what they love.

Verdict: Even kids who don't play sports will love this story with its rich language, exciting sports moments, and creative thinking from a smart, determined girl.

ISBN: 9780763646165; Published 2012 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library show less

Don't let the cover fool you, this is a pretty heartwarming book, about 2 independent, dog-crazy boys who've been in a hard, hungry spot for a long time. Russell's dad is in prison and he's staying with an uncle. Sean's the youngest of 5. They manage to bust a dog-fighting ring, find a steady source of income, and find a path back to trusting their adults.