cover image New Shoes for Leo

New Shoes for Leo

Lauren Agra Deedy, illus. by Susan Gal. Scholastic Press, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-3387-7021-6

In this jubilant, dialogue-driven story with a “Cinderella”-like arc, a child seeks to help family by searching for a much-needed item. Every month, William watches as Mami and Tía Ana bring home goods to mail from the U.S. to relatives in Cuba. Eager to help, William is tasked to find “zapatos, shoes, for your cousin Leo. He has outgrown his, and there is no money left to buy more.” Given a tracing of Leo’s foot, William visits the apartments of his relatives to see if their feet match the outline of Leo’s, and learns that Leo has freckles, likes to draw, and loves baseball—just like William. The bold strokes, scribbles, and textures of Gal’s exuberant pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations amplify Deedy’s energetic prose as William, family member by family member, devotedly works toward a moment of personal generosity. Creators’ notes and a glossary of Spanish words conclude. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)