because of a shoe – Perfect Picture Book Friday

There are some picture books that are written solely for the child. Others appear to be written only for an adult. But then there are picture books that appeal to both. Case in point—this marvelous pairing of Julie Fogliano’s sentence-long poem and Marla Frazee’s illustrations.

First, let’s absorb the cover. An adult arm presenting a shoe to a toddler who looks suspiciously at that red object as if it were made of cooked cabbage or brussels sprouts, or worse—medicine. The swirls of gray hint at the toddler’s internal turmoil and that there may be a skirmish to come. And then the tag line: “getting out the door is never easy…”

Oh, my, that line will ring every caregiver’s bell, and the disheveled toddler is sure to attract the eye of the child. Let’s take a look inside.

Brilliant use of the copyright spread to start the story! That child looks like they’re about to be eaten by a monster. The pink rabbit held by a single leg, the carpet flying, and only two words—”even when…” And the child running off to the right. It feels like their left arm is reaching to—quick!—turn the page!

because of a shoe
(a too-tight shoe
a too-loose shoe)
you are screaming
and you don't want to be screaming
but you just can't stop screaming

Okay, parents, anyone identify with this scene? The out-of-control child. The dangling shoe.

and even when
you are on the floor
and you are flopping

and you don't want to be flopping
but you can't stop being on the floor
and flopping

Oh, that poor, struggling mama! What do you do when you have a flailing flopper? Notice how the swirl of movement takes us back to the swirls on the cover. Mama tries to lure the child (who is determined to stay on the floor) by dangling the shoe in the air from behind the couch.

But no! That child will stay on the floor. I’ll show you one more spread.

and you will
eat your dinner
on the floor

and you will
got to school
on the floor

and you will grow up
and go to work at the office
on the floor

and you will go on 
very important business trips
on the floor

and you will 
also be a scuba diver

or maybe 

a baseball player 
on the floor

The tongue-in-cheek over-the-topness makes me laugh. Because everything about this real-life situation is over the top, as most tantrums are. I imagine these silly situations will bring giggles to the tantrum gang.

And even though this is a favorite shoe, the toddler suddenly hates all shoes and then, oh my, the toddler throws the shoe (“please don’t throw the shoe”)!

Cue the supermad-about-to-explode faces on both the mom and the toddler along with a rant that looks long on the page but FEELS just right. And the charcoal murky darkness of anger in the illustration that’s associated with it is spot on.

And then mama does something really low. She says what she’s going to do with that shoe. Oh, my. Frazee’s illustration of a charcoal dark garbage dump reminds me of one of the circles of hell where the two tiny red shoes lay in a pile.

We have reached rock bottom for both the toddler and mom. There is only one way out of this. And that’s through love. Love that transcends how ridiculously out of control the situation has become. The mending starts with a little silliness and ends up in a hug and an affirmation that even after all that’s happened, “we are still us (funny sweet us)” and “you still love me and I still love you”.

And yes, there is a funny and quite appropriate ending to the story as the pair arrive at a birthday party, the toddler wearing the red shoes. Julie Fogliano’s poetic narrative never falters, and Frazee’s illustrations rise to the challenge. Fogliano is also the author of my best friend, another fantastic toddler book, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, that I reviewed here.

And peeps! I gotta spill the beans…there are undies, too! So you have to check this book out. It’s a keeper.

Activities:

Make pink construction paper hand print bunnies.

Get advice from JFCS Center for Children and Youth on dealing with toddler behavior.

Pair this book with my best friend for a fun toddler story time.

Title: because of a shoe

Author: Julie Fogliano

Illustrator: Marla Frazee

Publisher: Knopf, Random House Kids, 2026

Themes: tantrums, unconditional love

Ages: Toddler through Kindergarten

For more perfect picture book recommendations, please visit Susanna Hill’s website.