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Sadie and the Silver Shoes
When shoes are the only thing you get to pick out yourself, what happens when you lose one of them? A tale of self-expression and friendship, told with humor and charm.
With three older brothers to pass along hand-me-downs, Sadie doesn't have much say in choosing her clothes. Her outfits always look interesting, though (even if some kids at school might not think so). But Sadie is allowed to pick her shoes, so one day she buys the most beautiful shoes ever -- shoes that sparkle in the sun, shoes she wears everywhere. That is, until Sadie and her brothers hop down a creek on an adventure, and one shoe falls off and is swept away. Whatever will Sadie do with one silver shoe? From a winning picture-book team comes a story of creativity, resilience, and like-minded souls that is sure to appeal to independent thinkers everywhere.
With three older brothers to pass along hand-me-downs, Sadie doesn't have much say in choosing her clothes. Her outfits always look interesting, though (even if some kids at school might not think so). But Sadie is allowed to pick her shoes, so one day she buys the most beautiful shoes ever -- shoes that sparkle in the sun, shoes she wears everywhere. That is, until Sadie and her brothers hop down a creek on an adventure, and one shoe falls off and is swept away. Whatever will Sadie do with one silver shoe? From a winning picture-book team comes a story of creativity, resilience, and like-minded souls that is sure to appeal to independent thinkers everywhere.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2019
2 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Jane Godwin
71 books60 followersJane Godwin is the Publisher, Books for Children and Young Adults, at Penguin Books Australia. She is also a highly acclaimed author of many books for children. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations. The Family Tree won the 2000 Queensland Premier's Award (Children's Books); Sebby, Stee, the Garbos and Me was shortlisted for the 1999 New South Wales State Literary Award (Patricia Wrightson Prize) and was a YABBA finalist; and The True Story of Mary was shortlisted for the 2006 CBCA Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers. In 2009 her picture book with illustrator Anna Walker, Little Cat and the Big Red Bus, was a notable book in the CBCA Awards and was also shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Awards, Lower Primary division. Jane's most recent novel is Falling From Grace, and her most recent picture book is All Through the Year, illustrated by Anna Walker, due for publication in October 2010.
Jane lives in Melbourne with her family. Her hobbies seem to have fallen by the wayside a little since she has taken on the role of publisher, but from what she remembers, they were playing tennis, walking, reading (things other than manuscripts), doing cryptic crosswords, talking about the need to do gardening (and sometimes even doing it), cooking, playing piano, spending time with friends and mucking around with family which consists of partner Michael and two adolescents, Wil (19) and Lizzie (17). She still manages the cryptic crosswords, friends and family.
Jane also enjoys working creatively with school students, encouraging them to develop confidence in their own creativity, ideas and abilities.
Jane lives in Melbourne with her family. Her hobbies seem to have fallen by the wayside a little since she has taken on the role of publisher, but from what she remembers, they were playing tennis, walking, reading (things other than manuscripts), doing cryptic crosswords, talking about the need to do gardening (and sometimes even doing it), cooking, playing piano, spending time with friends and mucking around with family which consists of partner Michael and two adolescents, Wil (19) and Lizzie (17). She still manages the cryptic crosswords, friends and family.
Jane also enjoys working creatively with school students, encouraging them to develop confidence in their own creativity, ideas and abilities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
February 28, 2018
I love Jane Godwin and Anna Walker's picture book partnership - they go go so well together (see what I did there)?
And Go Go is no exception.
Go Go is a girl who dares to be different and is proud of it. She shrugs off the disdain of the snotty-nosed school bully and bravely defies her mother's good advice.
Go Go is also someone who has to learn her lessons the hard way.
But she doesn't sulk or bemoan her fate. She champions inclusiveness, belonging and sharing...and we all love her for it.
Walker's gorgeous shiny illustrations charm add charm and whimsy to this story destined to become one of my favourite picture books.
And Go Go is no exception.
Go Go is a girl who dares to be different and is proud of it. She shrugs off the disdain of the snotty-nosed school bully and bravely defies her mother's good advice.
Go Go is also someone who has to learn her lessons the hard way.
But she doesn't sulk or bemoan her fate. She champions inclusiveness, belonging and sharing...and we all love her for it.
Walker's gorgeous shiny illustrations charm add charm and whimsy to this story destined to become one of my favourite picture books.
October 25, 2019
Go Go is so delightful. I love everything about her—her cheerful acceptance of wearing her brothers’ hand-me-downs, her couldn’t-care-less attitude about mean girls’ opinions, her adventuresome heart and derring-do, and most of all, her love of sparkly, impractical, completely inappropriate footwear.
My favourite moment in the book is when Go Go is grumpy and shouts at her mother’s ‘I told you so’. Because haven’t we all been there? Jane Godwin eloquently captures that horrible feeling of self-inflicted disappointment—and irritability at being reminded.
Anna Walker’s illustrations are so sweet. A couple particular spreads took my breath away. The sparkly shoes on the cover sealed the deal.
My favourite picture book so far this year. ❤️
My favourite moment in the book is when Go Go is grumpy and shouts at her mother’s ‘I told you so’. Because haven’t we all been there? Jane Godwin eloquently captures that horrible feeling of self-inflicted disappointment—and irritability at being reminded.
Anna Walker’s illustrations are so sweet. A couple particular spreads took my breath away. The sparkly shoes on the cover sealed the deal.
My favourite picture book so far this year. ❤️
October 6, 2025
A heartwarming story with a plucky lead who makes do with hand-me-downs from her brothers, disregards the remarks at school, and finally makes a friend to share with.
Quirkily, the illustrations leave the faces only lightly sketched in, but Sadie’s brightly different clothes pop.
Quirkily, the illustrations leave the faces only lightly sketched in, but Sadie’s brightly different clothes pop.
June 25, 2020
This is a sweet and gentle story about favorite clothes, choices, and adapting when things don't go as planned. The last page is great!
August 13, 2018
Go Go and The Silver Shoes by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker is an adorable picture book about favourite belongings, bad decisions, lost items and learning to share.
Go Go is a fiercely independent little girl who walks to the beat of her own drum. With three older brothers, and all their hand me down clothes, she has learnt to embrace her own style and second hand clothing. When given the most amazing pair of silver shoes that she has ever laid eyes on, she never wants to take them off. Even when venturing on epic adventures with her brothers and against her mother's advice. Tragedy strikes and one of the shoes are lost, after mopping initially, Go Go sets about finding what she can do with one shoe.
What I love about this book is the strength of character and resilience Go Go display. Here is a child that is bullied at school for her unusual clothing style, and her decision to wear different (non-matching) shoes. She shows real value and stands out as a shining example of the juxtaposition between the values we place on everyday items. Most people in Go Go's situation would have thrown the useless shoe away. Not Go Go though, her most prized possession maybe missing it's other half but it is still deeply personal and special to her.
Because of her tenacity, resilience and strength of character, Go Go is led back to her other shoe when the new girl Ellie arrives at school and thus a unique, special and unshakeable friendship is born.
Go Go and The Silver Shoes is a rewarding and fun picture book about embracing life's challenges, friendship and being your own person. The text and narrative is simple and easy to understand, while the illustrations are engaging, making this an ideal picture book for young children and those young at heart.
The review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf on the 11th August 2018 and can be found here: https://wp.me/p3yY1u-1mg
Go Go is a fiercely independent little girl who walks to the beat of her own drum. With three older brothers, and all their hand me down clothes, she has learnt to embrace her own style and second hand clothing. When given the most amazing pair of silver shoes that she has ever laid eyes on, she never wants to take them off. Even when venturing on epic adventures with her brothers and against her mother's advice. Tragedy strikes and one of the shoes are lost, after mopping initially, Go Go sets about finding what she can do with one shoe.
What I love about this book is the strength of character and resilience Go Go display. Here is a child that is bullied at school for her unusual clothing style, and her decision to wear different (non-matching) shoes. She shows real value and stands out as a shining example of the juxtaposition between the values we place on everyday items. Most people in Go Go's situation would have thrown the useless shoe away. Not Go Go though, her most prized possession maybe missing it's other half but it is still deeply personal and special to her.
Because of her tenacity, resilience and strength of character, Go Go is led back to her other shoe when the new girl Ellie arrives at school and thus a unique, special and unshakeable friendship is born.
Go Go and The Silver Shoes is a rewarding and fun picture book about embracing life's challenges, friendship and being your own person. The text and narrative is simple and easy to understand, while the illustrations are engaging, making this an ideal picture book for young children and those young at heart.
The review was originally posted at The Never Ending Bookshelf on the 11th August 2018 and can be found here: https://wp.me/p3yY1u-1mg
June 17, 2019
Sadie loves her silver shoes as they are the only thing besides underwear that she gets new. All of her clothes are hand me downs from her 3 older brothers, which causes some teasing by her classmates. Her mother bought the beloved shoes big so Sadie would have them for a while, but when they go on a nature walk she loses one in the creek. The story then follows both Sadie and her shoe so that they may hopefully be reunited in the end.
This charming story captures the spirit of what it is like to be the youngest in a large family of limited means and how that plays out with her peers. The water color and collage images are beautiful to look at and offer great details for lap listeners to discover. Sadie and her struggles will appeal to early elementary children and would be a good read aloud for a K-3rd grade classroom. I would highly recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
This charming story captures the spirit of what it is like to be the youngest in a large family of limited means and how that plays out with her peers. The water color and collage images are beautiful to look at and offer great details for lap listeners to discover. Sadie and her struggles will appeal to early elementary children and would be a good read aloud for a K-3rd grade classroom. I would highly recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
June 7, 2020
Sadie clothes are always hand-me-downs from her brothers. Sadie doesn’t mind, but some of the girls at school, especially Annabelle, seem to mind. The one special thing that Sadie gets to choose for herself are her shoes. That’s why she loves shoes.
One day, she finds an amazing pair of silver shoes. Sadie wears them everywhere, even though her mother warns her they’ll get dirty. Then one day on a family outing, Sadie loses one of the silver shoes in the creek and it floats away. Sadie decides to continue wearing the one remaining shoe, even though Annabelle points out that her shoes don’t match. Sadie doesn’t care.
When the new girl, Ellie, joins their class and Sadie is appointed to show her around, Ellie is mesmerized by Sadie’s silver shoe. “I have a shoe like that.” Amazingly, Ellie has found Sadie’s shoe at the beach house where she used to live. They decide to share the pair of shoes.
One day, she finds an amazing pair of silver shoes. Sadie wears them everywhere, even though her mother warns her they’ll get dirty. Then one day on a family outing, Sadie loses one of the silver shoes in the creek and it floats away. Sadie decides to continue wearing the one remaining shoe, even though Annabelle points out that her shoes don’t match. Sadie doesn’t care.
When the new girl, Ellie, joins their class and Sadie is appointed to show her around, Ellie is mesmerized by Sadie’s silver shoe. “I have a shoe like that.” Amazingly, Ellie has found Sadie’s shoe at the beach house where she used to live. They decide to share the pair of shoes.
April 30, 2019
Sadies grew up with three older brothers. She had all of their hand-me downs. This was not well received at school. One day Sadie got a pair of silver shoes and was able to wear them all the time. This made her feel good, until one day one shoe went missing in a pond. The next day at school she got to have a new girl at school shadow her. They became instant friends and to her surprise she had the other missing shoe! Sadie and Ellie made a new look, which included wearing one sparkly shoes. Reviewer 6.
July 11, 2019
When I started this book, and three characters were named Walter, Max, and Finn, I thought "oh, brother, a book about a bunch of upper-middle-class white kids." Pleasantly surprised, this was so not the case! I love this book because I think so many young readers will identify with the making-do this family does with hand-me-downs. In a lot of families, I think it's rare for the youngest child to have something brand new of their very own.
I also like the small bullying reference, and how the story ends.
I also like the small bullying reference, and how the story ends.
March 28, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. Sadie is super sad that she lost her most favorite shoe ever when she falls in some water. But one day at school there is a new girl who is in Sadie’s class. Sadie got to show her around and the new girl, Ellie tells Sadie that she has a shoe just like that at home. It was Sadie’s shoe that Ellie found floating down the river one day. This is such a cute book and has such a fun plot. It embraces the meaning of friendship and I think any child would enjoy reading this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2022
This is an adorable, beautifully illustrated story of a girl, her three brothers, and a pair of sparkly shoes. I totally identified with Sadie - I also have three older siblings, and they, me, and my younger sibs all relied on hand-me-downs, with the rare exception being new shoes. I didn't mind either, just like Sadie. I loved adventuring with my brothers, just like Sadie. And I totally would have been stubborn enough to wear my new favorite shoes everywhere, even when ill-advised. This is also a sweet story of how a solid friendship can start.
November 17, 2022
I adored this book utterly. When Sadie slips and falls into some water, she loses her all-time favorite shoe, which makes her very unhappy. But Sadie's class one day at school has a new student. The new girl, Ellie, tells Sadie that she has a shoe similar to that one at home as Sadie shows her about. Ellie once discovered Sadie's shoe floating down the river. This book is very adorable, and the plot is so interesting. Any child would likely like reading this book because it emphasizes the essence of friendship.
December 30, 2020
Not sure I would give this a 5 but my 3.5 year old LOVED it. We read it over and over and many nights in a row. Cute story about a girl who's happy to wear hand me downs more or less but loves getting to choose her own shoewas and choses a really exciting pair - only to lose one of them almost right away. I love the interaction with Sadie and her mom after the shoe gets lost - very true to life. Then the story creates a cute way for Sadie to make a new friend AND get her shoe back. Also love the cute illustration style from Anna Walker.
March 15, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Realistic
Grade: 4-6
This book shows a lot of enthusiasm and the willingness to be different than other people. It is a great book that shows friendship at the end and willingness to share. It is contemporary realistic because this could happen in real life and shows real characters. I think this is a good book for 4 to 6 because they could learn a lesson from it that they can be different and it is okay.
Grade: 4-6
This book shows a lot of enthusiasm and the willingness to be different than other people. It is a great book that shows friendship at the end and willingness to share. It is contemporary realistic because this could happen in real life and shows real characters. I think this is a good book for 4 to 6 because they could learn a lesson from it that they can be different and it is okay.
November 8, 2023
This book was very cute and a fun read. I also have 3 brothers so I know what it is like to get there clothes when they get too small for them. I have also had a pair of shoes that I loved so much and I would wear them everywhere. I love how in this story Sadie still wore her one shoe even though she lost one of them. I also loved how she found it in the end and shared the shoes with her new friend.
November 8, 2023
This was a really cute book about family and friendship. The character development was good, with the 3 bothers, her getting hand-me-downs and not caring. It highlighted the mean girls at school, and the mom giving a bit of attitude and the girl having a bit of a breakdown. when the new girl came to the school, Sadie was instantly nice and they became friends really quick, because of the silver shoe.
March 4, 2024
A super cute book with fun illustrations that help keep the reader engaged. A lovely story as it goes on to show the value of new friendships as well as touch on the fact that it's ok to dress differently. This is a very fun read with a charismatic main character. I would want this book in my classroom!
August 22, 2019
What an absolutely delightful book! Sadie and her family are so relatable and her attachment to her shoes and the development of her friendship are spot on. There's more to this one than meets the eye for sure.
September 18, 2019
wow wow wow. I loved this story so much. The narrative is gentle and resilient and kind. From choice, autonomy, bravery, resilience, gratitude, sharing, and friendship, readers are given so many topics for discussion and learning through literature. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely charming!
June 4, 2022
A great read aloud for my second grade class on our red carpet day! The main character, Sadie, loves her silver shoes. After some adventures, the silver shoes carry new meaning for her by the end of the book.
June 7, 2023
I'm not sure how probable this story is but it was ok. Maybe just because I'm an adult I kept wondering how the two different shoes would mess up her feet or balance. Maybe not but my 4 year old wasn't interested in this one.
May 8, 2019
Fantastically illustrated book about Sadie. She is the youngest with two older brothers and always get their hand-me-downs until one day she picks out new shoes.
May 21, 2019
A satisfying story of self-expression and friendship.
May 27, 2019
A super sweet friendship story with a surprise ending.
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June 7, 2019Adorable and great!
June 13, 2019
Bookaday #14. Cute story with an unexpected twist that brings 2 friends together. Shout out to all the younger siblings and hand me downs.
June 25, 2019
Delightful and artful story about a budding friendship formed by serendipity.
July 30, 2019
Sadie is a sweet girl who loves her shoes and is willing to give them up for a friend.
7/29/19 Read with Julia
7/29/19 Read with Julia
August 5, 2019
super cute
August 19, 2019
Cute friendship story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews