Shoes for Me! was a 2012 Crystal Kite Award finalist!
So proud to say that Shoes for Me! was a finalist for the 2012 Crystal Kite Award. This is an SCBWI member choice award. Thank you to everyone who voted...maybe next year!
"A winning choice for today’s ever-younger fashionistas." ~Kirkus Reviews
Hippo's feet have grown! She and Mom set off to the shoe store where Mom lets her choose her very own pair of shoes. Hippo tries on every pair until she finally finds the perfect shoes for her.
An exerpt from Shoes for Me!:
Feet got bigger,
heel to toe.
Time for new shoes. Off we go!
Shoes that zip up,
shoes that tie.
Shoes to tiptoe to the sky.
Shoes that clatter,
shoes that clop,
Shoes that light up when I hop.
Shoes for Me! received a Letter of Commendation from the 2007 SCBWI Barbara Karlin Grant for Picture Book Writing.
"With fun rhyme married with outstanding illustrations this book is a true winner. Sorting through the shoe-options is not only educational but loads of fun."
"Sue Fliess came up with a win-win PR idea when her Children's Picture book Shoes for Me made its debut last March (2011). She chose two worthy charities, one passing along gently used shoes to those in need, and one doing the same thing with books. This is what I call thinking outside the (shoe) box."
"It was easy to take the adjective, “sparkly,” and apply it to her shoes; they were glittering with pink and silver sequins, which reminded me of the perfect book to demonstrate more descriptive language – Shoes for Me! by Sue Fliess. It is full of vibrant illustrations, vivid word pictures and rhymes."
"This is one of those books you instantly want to schedule for a story time. The short, snappy rhymes and attractive illustrations make it a natural read-aloud, whether for a child on your lap or a group sitting in front of you."
"Cute, exuberant pictures and words, perfect for all the parents I know who have been charmed by their kids' first pairs of shoes. The book is decidedly girly, although the shoes Hippo chooses from aren't. The styles include lots of favorite shoe trends I recognize from both boys and girls I know."
"Upon realizing she has outgrown her shoes, the character’s exuberance is contagious. So many children’s picture books told in rhyme don’t deliver, but Fliess has got it right. No sentence sounds forced nor does she ever miss a poetic beat. I recommend this picture book to share at story time."
"Her quest for perfection is told in an easy-to-read rhyme and illustrated with understated charm by Mike Laughead." Kid Review from 4 year old Sienna: You should read this book because: It's so hilarious.
"Our toddler testers can’t get enough of the adorable hippo and her mommy shoe shopping. Light up shoes, sparkle shoes, party shoes…the options are endless. Will little Hippo ever find the perfect pair? The rhyme is simple and the illustrated pictures are adorable. This has already become a favorite bedtime story."
"Shoes for Me! is a perfect picture book for wee ones about to choose their own shoes or clothes for the first time (or who have only just begun choosing shoes or clothes for themselves). They'll be able to relate to the experiences of the little hippo (such as frustration over too-tight or too-expensive shoes), and have fun and even some laughs with her. Shoes for Me! is simple, adorable, and pleasing."
"The story follows a colorful, bouncy romp through a shoe store with Hippo. Fliess creates a pitch perfect rhyme to keep the tempo fast-paced and exciting. You are compelled to turn the page to discover what shoes Hippo will find next."
"My daughter and I had a great time reading aloud this story. The rhyme made it easy for her to predict words and as I read it, I would stop and let her guess what word she thought made sense. The pictures are bright and colorful and she enjoyed going through the book and picking out her favorite pair of shoes."
"What a cute, fun book for young kids! Shoes for Me! features a hippo searching for the perfect shoes. Will she find the perfect pair? The pictures are fun and colorful and the words rhyming and quick and easy to read. This is a regular at bedtime each evening now and I love how much she enjoys it and how quickly she began remembering and predicting the next word or two."
"This beautifully crafted rhyming story of a little girl hippo who shops for shoes with her mother features colorfully detailed illustrations by Mike Laughead. A great read for all ages."
"Who knew finding new shoes could be so fun??? Help young children expand their descriptive vocabulary with the use of Shoes for Me! This book is perfect to help preschoolers use descriptive language and to use more that one word for describing an object!"
"I loved the flow of this book and rhyming. This is such a fun book to read with kids. I am looking forward to future books in this series. The illustrator Mike Laughead created the perfect illustrations for this book. I can't tell you how much we loved the hippos!"
"Shoes for Me! by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Mike Laughead captures the fun of selecting new shoes as Hippo tries to find the perfect pair – the first time she gets to pick out her own shoes."
"CUTE STUFF DEPT.: "Shoes for Me," a children's book by Sue Fliess of Mountain View , with illustrations by Mike Laughead of Michigan , wandered into my view, and I found it a charming little thing for toddlers. Especially toddlers who are about to go shopping for shoes."
~John Orr, A&E Editor,San Jose Mercury News/The Daily News
“Shoes for Me! captures the excitement of shopping for a shiny new pair of shoes…Shoes for Me! will be the book kids beg to take along when their shoes become too tight and a shopping trip is in order.”
~Parenting on the Peninsula, April 2011
"Listening to the book "Shoes for Me" brought a smile to my face! The rhythmic and melodic words flowed like a song. Children everywhere will enjoy hearing and reading the story over and over."
~Mary Dietrich, Principal, Bubb School
"My fellow teachers and I loved your presentation - they loved your down to earth and clear advice. They especially enjoyed the number game too. We all felt it was great to let the kids know that you had to deal with rejection and keep on changing your writing to become better. The kids loved meeting you! It was a great sign that they felt comfortable to ask so many questions. Thanks for coming to inspire our kids!"
~Tanya Yates, 2nd Grade Teacher, West Valley Elementary School, Sunnyvale, CA
THANK YOU for helping me make my shoe and book drive, Run to Read, a huge success. My community rallied around me and we were able to collect 651.5 pairs of shoes and 647 books (532 of them children’s books) for the underprivileged (adults and children) in this country and around the world. I was deeply moved by how many people helped - moms groups, preschools, elementary schools, bookstores, friends, neighbors, strangers. It was truly a community effort!
Autographed Bookplates
If you'd like an autographed bookplate, just send me an email. Bookplates are adhesive-backed stickers that I can sign and mail to you in a regular business-size (No.10) envelope with current letter-rate postage. Putting the sticker on the title page of your book makes it an autographed copy. I can send up to 5 in one envelope.
