Put Your Shoes On

Young Josh is busy playing with his toys when an adult, presumably his mum, calls ‘Josh. Josh. Josh, love. It’s time to put your shoes on.’ Despite the shoes being close by, Josh continues playing with the toys. More urging follows but Josh is engrossed in his imaginative play indicated by bright squiggles of all kinds. The adult whom we’ve yet to see remains calm and tries again, ‘We’re in a hurry, because it’s Aunty Nelly’s BIRTHDAY PARTY.’ Josh imagines a smily birthday cake, odd shaped stars and a present, gift wrapped. He also imagines other guests including Tobias and Clementine, his cousins wearing funky shoes. By this time, the adult is losing patience and, morphing into a large blue monster, yells, ‘JOSH! PUT. YOUR. SHOES. ON!’ Reality returns and Josh finally obeys. An apology comes from the adult plus a hug, but the sparkles are back and there’s a smile on the adult’s face.

A note from the author/illustrator preceding the story explains that her two sons created the ‘imagination’ visuals as they were growing up. Polly herself portrays so well the adults feelings of frustration and Josh’s exuberant imagination. Young listeners will delight in the antics of the green caterpillar that finds its way onto almost every spread but on the back endpapers has undergone metamorphosis and flies off sporting a pair of chosen shoes.

(Throughout, Josh doesn’t utter a word: is he non-verbal perhaps but eager to communicate nonetheless.)