It’s raining, and for Will on the way to school, that means a wet sock. He has a split across the sole of one of his shoes, so a wet foot
is inevitable. They are not only split shoes, they are the wrong shoes. In the eyes of his classmates anyway. They wear Stan Smiths, black Nikes or Reebok classics, but Will’s shoes are plastic leather, cheap and nasty.
In Will’s eyes they stand out like sirens on his feet, and bullies like Chris Tucker are always listening. Chris hassles Will every chance he gets, drawing laughter from his friends and anyone else close enough to hear. Will deals with it the best he can, believing he can’t do a lot about it, as Chris is older and more popular.
Will’s best mate Cameron is his lifeline, and they spend a lot of time at his warm, spacious house, gaming and eating well. When returning to his own cramped, cold flat, Will knows it’s not his dad’s fault, and like his father, tries to stay positive. There’s never much to eat, and Will makes the most of the free hot school lunches during the day, and makes do with soup and toast at home.
Another escape for Will is his drawing. He’s a talented artist, even painting walls at a local cafe and appearing in the newspaper. His art teacher believes he will go a long way with his skills, but drawings don’t fill his stomach or keep his feet dry in the rain. One day at school, when Chris is starting in on both Will and Cameron, a voice rings out in their defence. To their surprise, a girl in Chris’ year stands up to him.
Her name is Kalia and Will is incredibly impressed at how she doesn’t seem fazed at all by Chris. Maybe he will leave them be for a while? Things begin to look up a little for Will. Art class is going well and Will produces the best art than ever before, finally garnering a little respect from his classmates. Soon, Dad has news about a possible job offer, and Kalia extends more friendship.
Meeting her family brings both hope for his future and the wish his own flat was more like their home. But just when things are looking up, life changes again for him and his dad. Will feels like he will never get a break, and that his life is a slippery slope to nowhere.
‘Yes, I know that life is always changing – I used to live in a nice house with both my parents and now I’m in a tiny freezing-cold flat with my dad who can’t work because of his terrible leg injuries.’
He’s sick of being cold, worrying about money, and pretending everything is fine with whoever asks. When offered a chance to make changes, he sees no other way and takes it. His father has made the same decision.
Fitting in at school is tough for many, and even worse when you don’t look the same as your classmates. Whether it’s the wrong haircut, clothes or shoes, bullies will pounce like lions. This novel is set in the UK, but schools around the world are the same when it comes to this sort of exclusion.
After reading The Invisible by the author of this novel, I knew The Wrong Shoes would be something special. The author being a talented illustrator too, there are powerful images throughout this novel, sharing the main character’s experiences with poverty, bullying and choices made through frustration.
Family circumstances (anywhere) can change slowly or overnight, and the afterword by Tom Percival tells it straight – Child poverty is NEVER the child’s fault. So many factors affect people’s lives and children often bear the brunt.
This novel is even more moving as main character Will shares his story direct to the reader as he’s living it. It’s real, raw and he tells it like it is. He’s a brave character, trying to protect his father’s feelings, prevent his mother’s worries and make things right from wrongs. But even he cracks, and it’s heart wrenching.
A powerful read that will make a great read aloud for years 5 – 8 (NZ) Ages 9-12 to launch important discussions about poverty.
Author / Illustrator – Tom Percival
Age – 9+
(2024, Simon & Schuster UK, Harper Collins, Bullies, School, Family, Poverty, Friendship, Prejudice, Peer Pressure, Popularity, Revenge, Cheap shoes, Cold flat, Hungry, No money, Free lunches, Choices, Rich friends, Too proud, Bully, Theft, Payback, Two homes, Injured father)