
The Wrong Shoes
Author:
Tom Percival
Illustrator:
N/A
Published by:
Simon & Schuster Children's UK
First Published:
9 May 2024
Ideal for readers aged
13+y
My Review
In this collaboration with the National Literacy Trust, Tom Percival has written a book that should be in every school library in the country. For Will, things just keep going wrong. Bullied for having cheap shoes, misunderstood by his teachers, and struggling to come to terms with the bleak and hungry life he leads after his dad lost his job, life seems to be pushing him down a path of self-destruction. The love of his family, persistence of his friends, and a freak encounter with nature keep filling him with just enough hope to keep doing the next right thing. Life for Will is hard, but he learns that he is still powerful, in a position to make choices about his future and the path he wants to take. It’s a story that will increase empathy in children whose lives are easier than Will’s, and empower those who relate to him.
Heads Up!
Tom is bullied for being different; a distressing but realistic portrayal of life for many kids in secondary schools around the country.