An upbeat sneaker learns not to trample his friends.
In Shoe Town, all of the residents are anthropomorphized shoes with simple round eyes, smiles, and skinny little stick legs with rounded feet. In bright-red High Top’s quest for fun, he unfortunately has a tendency to stampede into other shoes—he knocks rain boot Lorraine Boot into a puddle, tangles up Shoezanne Ballerina in her ribbons until she trips, and inserts his work (and favorite color) into Vincent Van Toe’s painting without asking. Finally ready to slow down and relax, he vibes with worn-out slipper Platoe, the wisest shoe in Shoe Town. Platoe points out that just because High Top had fun doesn’t mean everyone else did and tells High Top that his apology “will mean more to your friends if you show it after you say it.” High Top takes the didactic, straightforward lesson to heart and sets to making amends. But then, he channels his energy into a final sorry that better suits his style (while also including his friends): an apology party. Many kids will relate to High Top’s good-natured, accidental troublemaking but might not like being given a blunt lesson. The art forgoes linework for a minimalistic, brightly colored cartoon style that’s expressive and reads clearly throughout.
A pithy but heavy-handed moral about healing friendships laced with bright colors and humor. (Picture book. 3-7) –Kirkus Reviews
High Top: The Sneaker That Just Can’t Stop! captures an out-of-the-box zest for life as High Top the sneaker’s enthusiasm spills out into the world, trampling those around him who approach life differently. High Top just can’t resist or repress his high-octane approach, but this creates problems for others as well as himself. He doesn’t want to be just anyshoe – but how can he stand out without throwing himself to the winds? Tom Lacey creates an absorbing, whimsical story filled with shoe references, lively interactions, and thought-provoking scenarios that will prompt kids and read-aloud parents to discuss issues of high-energy living and its impact on those around them. Its fun lessons will appeal on both a contemplative and entertainment level as it features an action-driven series of encounters in which High Top evolves to find a better path to self-satisfaction and life interactions. –Midwest Book Review–Children’s Bookwatch
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