In this book, we meet Jeremy, a young kid who wants nothing more than the coolest new shoes that everyone at school is wearing. But poor Jeremy. His grandma can’t afford to buy them. All the kids are laughing at the shoes his school counselor gave him for free. That is, all the kids but one – Antonio – who is wearing a taped up pair of sneakers himself.

 

Luckily, Jeremy finds a pair at a thrift store! Unluckily, the used pair doesn’t fit. Despite his best efforts to squeeze into them, he finally admits that they just don’t fit. So he decides to give the shoes to Antonio.

 

This story is a great example of empathy. The author says that Jeremy’s story was inspired by kids she has worked with. She says, “I have often been touched by the generosity I’ve witnessed in children and their willingness to share, even when it’s tough to do so. These selfless acts have a way of shaping lives.”

 

In this story, Jeremy recognizes that Antonio is just like him. Another kid who can’t afford new shoes and who desperately wishes he could. Jeremy understands how Antonio feels and decides to be kind, even though it’s incredibly hard to give away his prized possession.

 

This is a great book for a read-aloud with kids. Some questions that would help build upon the idea of empathy are:

 

–         What was Jeremy feeling when he found the shoes?

 

–         What was Jeremy feeling when the shoes were too small?

 

–         What did Jeremy notice about Antonio’s shoes?

 

–         Why did Jeremy decide to give his shoes to Antonio?

 

–         How do you think Antonio felt when he found the shoes on his doorstep?