Those Shoes

This iconographic-animated adaptation of author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Noah Z. Jones' 2007 watercolor and ink picture book focuses on young Jeremy, who desperately wants the black high-tops with double white stripes that his peers are sporting. Grandma says “There's no want around here…just need,” and while she does have the money for practical boots, that doesn't help Jeremy at school, where he worries that he's no longer the fastest kid and dreads wearing nerdy Velcro shoes from the lost and found after his own fall apart. Combing thrift shops, Jeremy discovers an affordable pair of the coveted sneakers—never mind that he must curl his toes to make them fit and winds up limping to the bus stop. But a sudden turn of events finds Jeremy choosing to put aside materialistic concerns in order to help a friend. Featuring a hip-hoppish soundtrack and set in an urban-style location, this lesson-filled tale—aimed at ages 4-9—arrives on DVD with a “Sharing My Story” segment featuring Boelts, who talks about her knockoff pair of Starsky & Hutch shoes that were popular when she was in sixth grade. Highly recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)