My Kicks

My Kicks is a picture book from Susan Verde, the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Yoga, that explores the love and pride that kids have for their sneakers and the joy that can be found in growing up, growing out, and moving on—illustrated by Katie Kath.

Kids love sneakers. But when a child finds that his toes have outgrown his favorite shoes, and they’ve gotten too dirty and smelly, his mom says it’s time for a new pair. Resistant to let go, the boy reminisces about all the good times he’s had with his favorite kicks on the city streets.

There’s the paint splatter from his masterpiece and the drip from a Popsicle. There’s the scuff from when he fell off his skateboard. And there are those frayed laces that he learned to tie in bows and doubles. A new pair just won’t be the same. But, with bigger shoes to fill, the boy realizes new adventures await him. Maybe he could paint a little better? Or skate a little faster? The possibilities just may be endless . . .

“The text is lively—in prose form, but with a bouncy hip-hop beat that reflects the boy’s attitude about his active life in his beloved shoes. Energetic ink-and-watercolor illustrations place the boy in a pleasant urban setting and are well matched to the text. A wonderful ode to shoes, old and new.” —Booklist