Shoe Wars

What do our readers think of Shoe Wars? (Generated from the text of reviews of the book)

Children enjoy the silly shoe jokes, lively illustrations, unusual inventions and fast-moving adventure, with many finding it fun enough to read more than once.

What does the Pageticker team say about Shoe Wars?

Shoe Wars is a funny, gadget-packed adventure that combines Liz Pichon’s trademark doodles, lively typography and irresistible wordplay with a proper race against time plot. Ruby and Bear make a likeable team as they take on a comically horrible villain. The story explores family loyalty, courage and standing up to unfair power. It is a strong choice for fans of Tom Gates and illustrated middle-grade fiction.

Genres

What is Shoe Wars about?

In Shoe Town, siblings Ruby and Bear Foot must rescue their inventor dad from his villainous boss, Wendy Wedge. Wendy is determined to win the Golden Shoe Award by showcasing flying shoes, an invention Ruby and Bear are hiding. This gadget packed adventure is filled with humour, quirky illustrations, and a race against time to save their dad and the town.

About the author

Liz Pichon is a brilliant British author and illustrator, best known for her funny and creative Tom Gates series. Her books are full of doodles, jokes, and school adventures that lots of children enjoy. Liz loves drawing and coming up with new ideas to make reading fun for everyone!

Discussion ideas around Shoe Wars

Teamwork: How do Ruby and Bear’s different strengths help them face the problems in Shoe Town, and what might have happened if they had worked alone?

Power and fairness: Wendy Wedge uses her position to control the town and its shoemakers. What makes power fair or unfair, and how could the people of Shoe Town challenge her?

Inventions and responsibility: Flying shoes sound exciting, but inventions can cause problems as well as solve them. What responsibilities should inventors consider before sharing a new idea?

Names and humour: How do the shoe based names, jokes, illustrations and changing text affect the way you experience the story?

Courage: Which character shows courage in an unexpected way, and what does their choice teach us about being brave?