The Wrong Shoes - Tom Percival

'Will has the wrong shoes - he's always known it but doesn't know how to change it.  

    Navigating the difficulties of home and school when you feel you stick out is tough, but finding confidence with the help and empathy of friends can be all you need to see the way...' 

This is a powerful and emotional story about Will, a boy struggling to cope with the changes life has thrown at him: his parents separating; his dad losing his job and unable to get another one; money running out. Life is tough and all he wants to do is live a normal life.  At the beginning of the book, we see Will struggling with his shoes which are old and worn, so much so that the rain gets in.  He's clearly embarrassed by this but, as a good friend, he is still pleased when his best friend Cameron, shows him his brand new super expensive trainers... that is until he offers to give Will his old pair.  Suddenly their friendship changes and Will feels even more alone.

The Wrong Shoes is a brilliantly written, stark reminder of what so many children face on a daily basis.  For Will, this is the pressure of heading home to a freezing flat, not knowing whether his dad has enough money to feed them; his father needing to borrow from a loan shark and the worry about how they will repay that; trying to keep the truth about what is happening from his mother and her new partner... They are all things a child shouldn't have to worry about but so many do in this day and age. It's terrifying how many have to and that this book is a reality for so many.

The book also shows us how difficult navigating friendships can be in this situation.  Will and Cameron get along well (they have plans to set up their own gaming company) but when he offers him his old shoes, it changes everything.  However, without Cameron, his only friend, it becomes all too easy to fall in with the wrong crowd.  It doesn't take much for everything to go wrong.

I have to say that, as a teacher, I cried when I read how some of the staff at school reacted to Will. You never know what's going on and that needs to be at the forefront of every teacher's mind. Thank goodness for Mr Prince.  Be more Mr Prince.

As Tom says in his author's note, whatever the reason for the poverty, 'it is NEVER the child's fault' but we see that they take on the burden; they struggle to keep up with the latest trends at school; they do their best to keep what's happening to themselves; they get picked on ... life is tough and often nobody knows what is happening. 

The Wrong Shoes is a reality check and a stark reminder of what so many children experience on a daily basis; however, the book is also a beacon of hope.  It will remind children not to give up; to know that things will change eventually (RANDOMISER). The book is about hope and knowing who your friends are; it's about trust and making the best choices.  Publishing on the 9th May, The Wrong Shoes is a book everybody needs to read.