One Shoe Two Shoes

April 29, 2019
An ode to shoes and counting gets a playful twist with the introduction of some mischievous mice in this cheerful concept book by the makers of Big Box Little Box. The adventure begins with Seussian rhymes (“One shoe/ Two shoes/ Red shoes/ Blue shoes”) as a dog accompanies its owner for a walk. But the narrative shifts with the appearance of a slim pink tail curling up from a pair of striped flats—a family of mice occupies a series of shoes. In bold cut-out graphics and bright colors, Underwood’s pencil, ink, and digital-collage illustrations go on to depict inquisitive mice in all different footwear—a clog, a pink striped boot, plaid slippers—while the dog, now napping with one eye open, half keeps watch as the count multiplies from one to 10 (though a few gray mice seem left out of the accounting, which may confuse readers). An open shoebox becomes a slide and another becomes a place to hide until the dog, alerted by a “scritchy-scratchy” sound, investigates. After the mice scatter, the hound heads out on another walk. And for the shoe-loving mice? A frolicsome spin on some roller skates awaits. A colorful exploration of colors, numbers, and footwear. Ages 3–6.