{"id":46264,"date":"2026-03-05T22:53:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T03:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=46264"},"modified":"2026-03-05T22:53:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T03:53:03","slug":"review-of-because-of-a-shoe-by-julie-fogliano-marla-frazee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=46264","title":{"rendered":"Review of Because of a Shoe, by Julie Fogliano & Marla Frazee"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Because of a Shoe<\/em><\/p>\n

by Julie Fogliano & Marla Frazee<\/p>\n

Alfred A. Knopf, 2026. 32 pages.
\nReview written February 20, 2026, from a library book.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Ahhhh! This book reminds me tremendously of one of my favorite picture books from when my own kids were young – and I think the book where I discovered that I love Marla Frazee’s illustrations – Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild<\/a><\/em>, by Mem Fox, illustrated by Marla Frazee.<\/p>\n

Both books feature a similar situation – a mother and a sweet, funny toddler – and the mother eventually losing it. But both books, of course, end with that deep love and connection – despite those moments anyone who’s ever lived with a toddler will relate to.<\/p>\n

Julie Fogliano is a poet. So Because of a Shoe<\/em> is a long poem about a toddler faced with the horror of putting on their shoes when it’s past time to get out the door. And of course the illustrations show the full drama of the situation.<\/p>\n

even when. . .
\nbecause of a shoe
\n(a too-tight shoe
\na too-loose shoe)
\nyou are screaming
\nand you don’t want to be screaming
\nbut you just can’t stop screaming<\/p>\n

and even when
\nyou are on the floor
\nand you are flopping
\nand you don’t want to be flopping
\nbut you just can’t stop being on the floor
\nand flopping<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The pictures change to black and white when things get to imaginary scenarios.<\/p>\n

and even when
\nyou are never getting up from the floor<\/p>\n

and you will live on the floor<\/p>\n

and you will
\neat your dinner
\non the floor<\/p>\n

and you will
\ngo to school
\non the floor<\/p>\n

and you will grow up
\nand go to work at an office
\non the floor<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[There’s more, but you get the idea]<\/p>\n

I love all the emotions expressed about the shoe – and then the mother starts reacting.<\/p>\n

and even when
\ni am loud and i am yelling
\nand i don’t want to be loud and yelling
\nbut i just can’t stop being loud and yelling
\nbecause we are leaving
\nand we are late
\nand everyone is waiting
\nand you love those shoes
\nthey are your best shoes
\nthey are your red shoes
\nthey are your favorite red shoes<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I think that’s the part that really got me. Yes, we’ve all known a toddler to turn on their favorite things and it doesn’t make any sense and what’s a mother to do?<\/p>\n

But yes, it comes to a beautiful resolution. (This is just the beginning of it.)<\/p>\n

even then<\/p>\n

you are still you
\n(funny sweet you)
\nand i am still me
\n(funny sweet me)
\nand we are not a shoe
\n(not the tightest shoe
\nor the loosest shoe)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And gosh, the loving harmony at the end simply fills me with all the feels.<\/p>\n

So, yes, this is for every funny sweet parent who’s ever had a funny sweet toddler in their home – even though they might lose it at times. <\/p>\n

Is it actually for the child? I think such a clear depiction of a fraught situation can only shine light on what’s important – how much we love each other no matter what.<\/p>\n

juliefogliano.com<\/a>
\nmarlafrazee.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/because_of_a_shoe.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

Subscribe<\/a> for more reviews and talk about books.<\/p>\n

Join the conversation: What did you think of this book?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Because of a Shoe by Julie Fogliano & Marla Frazee Alfred A. Knopf, 2026. 32 pages. Review written February 20, 2026, from a library book. Starred Review Ahhhh! This book reminds me tremendously of one of my favorite picture books from when my own kids were young – and I think the book where I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,15,42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-contemporary","category-picture-book-review","category-starred-review"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46264"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46313,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46264\/revisions\/46313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}