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Sock Story
A simple, heartwarming story told in comic-book form about a sock that loses his pair.
It’s Phil and Dale’s favourite time of the week - the WASH! The two socks impress each other with their acrobatics; flipping, spinning and shrieking, much to the disapproval of the other clothes in the washing machine. But why should they care? They’ve got each other and that’s all that matters... right? When Phil goes missing, Dale is left contemplating life in solitude. After a brief encounter with a red shirt, he finds himself alone in the washing machine, lost and pink. When he is finally reunited with his buddy, Phil fails to recognise him and the socks must decide what being a pair means if one of you has changed.... Written in comic book form, and brought to life in gorgeous crayon illustrations, this a tale of friendship and identity that will delight children and adults alike.
It’s Phil and Dale’s favourite time of the week - the WASH! The two socks impress each other with their acrobatics; flipping, spinning and shrieking, much to the disapproval of the other clothes in the washing machine. But why should they care? They’ve got each other and that’s all that matters... right? When Phil goes missing, Dale is left contemplating life in solitude. After a brief encounter with a red shirt, he finds himself alone in the washing machine, lost and pink. When he is finally reunited with his buddy, Phil fails to recognise him and the socks must decide what being a pair means if one of you has changed.... Written in comic book form, and brought to life in gorgeous crayon illustrations, this a tale of friendship and identity that will delight children and adults alike.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2018
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 28, 2019
Fun dialogue carries this sort of dumb story to an almost touching ending.
January 22, 2019
A great and fun little story about never losing sight of who you are, no matter how different you are.
May 1, 2019
Somebody had to tell it.
July 15, 2022
You'll believe that socks can play!
Sock Story is a delightful picture book imagining life inside a washing machine at work. It focuses on Phil and Dale, a pair of white socks that really get into the whirling conditions of a deep wash. However Dale loses track of Phil during the cycle and goes on a mini-adventure that leaves him a little odd but otherwise very much the same.
I adored the comic book approach to this story and also the cramped setting filled with a cacophony of dirty clothes that disapprove of Phil and Dale's fun and games. Marton's artwork is wonderfully colourful and simple in its jumbled cast of fabric characters. I particularly appreciated how she accentuates Dale's dark night of the soul (or should that be sole?) as captured by Smouha's moving words. It's a scene of pathos from the perspective of footwear that really sinks in.
To bring this short, silly review to heel, Sock Story is a great spin on an unlikely setting that deserves more attention. I recommend it to parents looking for a fresh book to giggle through with their little one, especially while waiting for the laundry to finish.
Sock Story is a delightful picture book imagining life inside a washing machine at work. It focuses on Phil and Dale, a pair of white socks that really get into the whirling conditions of a deep wash. However Dale loses track of Phil during the cycle and goes on a mini-adventure that leaves him a little odd but otherwise very much the same.
I adored the comic book approach to this story and also the cramped setting filled with a cacophony of dirty clothes that disapprove of Phil and Dale's fun and games. Marton's artwork is wonderfully colourful and simple in its jumbled cast of fabric characters. I particularly appreciated how she accentuates Dale's dark night of the soul (or should that be sole?) as captured by Smouha's moving words. It's a scene of pathos from the perspective of footwear that really sinks in.
To bring this short, silly review to heel, Sock Story is a great spin on an unlikely setting that deserves more attention. I recommend it to parents looking for a fresh book to giggle through with their little one, especially while waiting for the laundry to finish.
July 14, 2019
I wish this had been around for my oldest son, who spent a lot of time mesmerized in front of our washing machine when he was three or four. He's now in his mid thirties, and I plan to give this to him for his birthday. I expect he'll love it as much as I do. A total charmer of a lost-and-found story.
February 3, 2022
super moving story about two socks😿😿
June 24, 2019
I loved how much this book made my sons giggle. Fully belly laughs. Love this book!
June 24, 2019
A very cute book about a pair of socks who are friends. The story is told all in speech bubbles and would make a great one-on-one story.
June 30, 2019
Wonderful story and wonderful art!
January 12, 2019
This humorous book relies on ink, charcoal, and mixed media illustrations to tell the story of two socks that get separated in the wash. I'm sure just about everyone has wondered at some time or the other about where missing socks go. It often seems that one part of the pair of socks has gone awry in the machine. Relying on a close-up of the laundry machine's window, the illustrations show Phil and Dale, a pair of mostly white soaks, having a blast in the washing machine. But Phil becomes disconcerted when he can't find Dale. Eventually, the two are reunited, but to Phil's shock, he has now been dyed pink. The picture book even has a great message as the owner of these socks still wears them even though they no longer match. After all, as Dale asserts, "who cares if we're a little odd?" (unpaged). I smiled as I read every page.
December 29, 2023
A pair of sock friends causes a bit of mayhem in the washer. When one of them appears to be missing, there are a lot of emotions among the clothes, especially the one sock left alone.
I am sure there are sock loving students who will love this story.
I am sure there are sock loving students who will love this story.
March 19, 2019
Phil and Dale, a pair of socks, lose each other in the laundry but are later reunited.
June 2, 2019
Idea was cute, illustrations were a lot of fun, execution though just didn’t work for me.
September 4, 2019
Meh. Illustrations are cute but not very clear about the wash/ dry cycle. This works better when I treat it as a wordless book instead of trying to read all the dialogue.
September 24, 2019
Cute & colorful. Unique art.
September 27, 2019
Meh. I feel like I read another book that was nearly exactly the same.
October 8, 2019
“The best I can hope for is to become a sock puppet. Or a golf cosy.”
November 11, 2019
It was a very simple story. Not everything has to match in order for you to be friends. Illustrations were great.
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Publisher. Does not affect my review)
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Publisher. Does not affect my review)
November 24, 2019
Told in dialogue between clothes in the washer as two sock friends are seperated. PReschool and up
December 26, 2019
A charming story about loneliness. Great for class discussion in KS1 and EYFS.
June 4, 2021
My kiddo loved this book. She thought it was so funny. It was fun to read making my best washing machine noises.
November 26, 2021
A very cute book (the art especially), although sometimes the metaphors for self-acceptance in children’s books are a bit much!
September 19, 2025
Storytime: Clothes, Humor
October 24, 2025
Phil and Dale are socks. they love riding in the washing machine. But then they get separated and one of them turns pink. Will their friendship survive? quirky and humorous with fun illustrations.
September 25, 2020
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews