Grades 3-5 Book Review
Those Shoes tells the story of Jeremy, a boy who desperately wants the popular black high-top sneakers all the kids at school are wearing. His grandmother explains that they need “things we need, not things we want.” When Jeremy finds a used pair at a thrift store, they are too small—but he buys them anyway. Eventually, Jeremy makes a compassionate decision to give the shoes to a classmate in need. The text explores themes of economic hardship, identity, peer pressure, generosity, and self-worth with accessible prose and powerful illustrations.
Main Ideas
Themes:
- Wants vs. Needs: The central conflict highlights the difference between what we desire and what we truly need, prompting students to examine personal priorities.
- Economic Inequality: Jeremy’s experiences reflect real issues of limited resources, financial strain, and social comparison.
- Empathy and Generosity: The story shows how kindness often requires sacrifice. Jeremy’s decision to give the shoes away demonstrates moral growth.
- Identity and Belonging: Jeremy’s desire for the shoes is tied to fitting in with peers and shaping his self-image.
- Friendship: The bond between Jeremy and Antonio shows the power of compassion, loyalty, and understanding.
Writing Style:
- Clear, concise prose that is accessible to young readers but layered enough for deep discussion.
- Strong use of dialogue to reveal character emotions and social dynamics.
- Short, precise sentences that mirror Jeremy’s internal conflict and emotional tension.
- Illustration-dependent storytelling: The illustrations carry emotional nuance—facial expressions, clothing, posture—that deepen meaning.
- Realistic, child-centered voice that reflects authentic feelings and decisions.
Educational Value:
- Social-emotional learning: Teaches empathy, generosity, and self-awareness; excellent for classroom community-building.
- Supports inferential thinking: Students must interpret feelings, motivations, and unspoken tensions.
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Flexible across content areas:
- ELA: Character analysis, theme, point of view, author’s craft
- SEL: Compassion, peer relationships, choices
- Math/Financial literacy: Needs vs. wants decision-making
- Culturally responsive: Honors students’ varied economic backgrounds without stigma.
- High discussion value: Prompts deep conversations about kindness, fairness, and perspective-taking.
Text Complexity Map
Title: Those Shoes Author: Maribeth Boelts Illustrator: Noah Z. Jones
Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication Date: 2007 Pages: 40
Genre: Realistic Fiction / Picture Book
| Recommended Grade Levels |
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Grades 3-5 Can also be used in grades 2–3 for SEL lessons, but thematically strong for grade 4–5 discussions on empathy, needs vs. wants, and social dynamics. |
Quantitative Measures of the Text:
Range: 420L-820L
Associated Band Level:
- 2–3 Band: 420L–820L
- 4–5 Band: 740L–1010L
Although the Lexile is accessible, the theme, inference demands, and social-emotional complexity place this book solidly within the 4–5 qualitative band.
Qualitative Measures of the Text |
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Levels of Meaning/Purpose: Moderately Complex
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Structure: Moderately Complex
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Language Clarity and Conventionality: Moderately Complex
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Knowledge Demands: Moderately Complex
Students may need background knowledge about:
Some cultural/socioeconomic context is required for deep comprehension. |
Reader and Task Considerations: |
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Motivation: Students tend to connect strongly with the topic of wanting something because others have it. Background Knowledge:
Complexity of Tasks:
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Overall Complexity: Moderate to Moderately-High Complexity
Although the text is readable, the ethical depth, emotional nuance, and social comparisons require mature discussion and inferential reasoning appropriate for grades 3–5.
Mentor Text Teaching Points (Chapters 1-3)
Reading Skills:
- Support inferences with evidence
- Determine theme (e.g., generosity, self-control, empathy)
- Compare characters’ motivations
- POV and perspective; what Jeremy thinks vs. what he says
- Setting: multiple places, across several days
- SEL literacy integration: Recognizing emotions and ethical choices
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Illustration analysis: How visuals provide additional meaning
- First spread - huge billboard with shoes - Jeremey staring at it
- Third spread - 3 different illustrations - all with focus on “those shoes”
- Fifth spread - first letter of each words spells shoes
- Sixth spread - face shows concern (arched eyebrows, mouth tight)
- Eighth spread - contradiction - excitement to grimace
- Twelfth spread - focus is on Antonio’s shoes
Writing Skills:
- POV - 1st person - why?
- Illustrations carry meaning
- Repetition - “those shoes”
- Passage of time (thrift stores)
- Font Size
- Sentence Structure
Language, Grammar & Conventions:
- Dialogue punctuation
- Internal vs. external dialogue
- Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions (because, although, even though)
- Precise verbs that convey emotion (stared, avoided, whispered, sighed)
- Sentence structure that shows internal conflict
- EM-DASH - thought or more information
Vocabulary
- thrift
- sits down heavy
- hitch up
- curling my toes
- afford
- trade-offs
- sacrifice
Mentor Sentence:
“I have dreams about those shoes—black high-tops. Two white stripes.”
Teaching Points:
- Short sentence fragments used for emphasis
- Sensory detail and precise noun phrases
- Vivid imagery to reveal longing
- Model sentence expansion: Jeremy dreams about those shoes because he wants to fit in and look like the other kids.
“ At home, a few days later, Grandma puts a new pair of snow boots in my closet and doesn’t say a word about my too-big feet shuffling in my too-small shoes.”
Teaching Points:
- Setting change
- Character trait - “doesn’t say a word”
- Wants vs need in one sentence
- Juxtaposition - Too-big feet, too-small shoes
