Indian Shoes

by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Jim Madsen (Illustrator)

The beloved chapter book by New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith about the love and adventures shared by a Cherokee-Seminole boy and his Grampa now has brand-new illustrations! A perfect pick for new readers.

What do Indian shoes look like, anyway? Like beautiful beaded moccasins... or hightops with bright orange shoelaces?

Ray Halfmoon prefers hightops, but he gladly trades them for a nice pair of moccasins for his grampa. After all, it's Grampa Halfmoon who's always there to help Ray get in and out of scrapes—like the time they teamed up to pet sit for the whole block during a holiday blizzard!

Award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith writes with wit and candor about a boy and his grandfather, sharing all their love, joy, and humor.

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books

Genres: Middle Grade, Native American, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Family, Indigenous

80 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2002

About the author

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and anthologist of more than 20 books for young readers. She was named a 2025 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, the NSK Neustadt Laureate, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and winner of the Southern Miss Medallion for Outstanding Contributions in Children’s Literature. Cynthia has also been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and served as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Chair for the children’s-YA writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Texas.

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with terrific stories, this book informs readers that there are Native people living in Chicago. Chicago??? Yep. Not only are we not a vanished people who fell off the earth at that "end of the trail" (I hate that statue), we live in major urban areas.

There's a lot of Native people in major urban areas due, in large part, to a program of the federal government. In the 40s and 50s, there was a Relocation Program (does that strike you as odd? "RELOCATION" sounds more like something that belongs in Iraq or some other far off land, but that sort of thing is very much part of the story of the US, too) by which the federal govt moved Native people from reservations to major urban areas for job training. Hence, Smith's stories are set in Chicago.

Do get a copy, today! It's terrific.

[Michelle Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet chapter book about a boy and his grandfather. This gave me all of the warm fuzzy feelings, I didn't have a grandpa quite like this, but I had a grandma like this. I loved all of the little stories of companionship and love, and 4th grade Michelle would've SNATCHED this book up in a heartbeat if it were at a book fair!
Definitely recommend for your chapter-book reading kiddos, and even as a before bedtime book to read and enjoy.

[June Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever read a story collection where you told yourself as you finished reading each story, 'That story was my favorite!', only to read the next story to find yourself saying, 'No, that one was definitely my favorite!'?

This is exactly what happened to me when I read this delightful collection of six short stories featuring young Ray Halfmoon and his grandfather, Grampa Halfmoon.

The pair currently live in Chicago, far from their relatives in Oklahoma. They are of Seminole and Cherokee descent. Grampa is raising Ray after Ray's parents were tragically killed in a tornado.

Each story features incidents that happen in and around Chicago or in Oklahoma. Many of the stories have humorous scenes or humorous themes. Grampa's feelings about life and his memories of the past are the underlying theme of each story. He enjoys sharing his family stories and cultural gems with Ray.

Grampa's love and affection for Ray are evident in their daily activities and in the wisdom he exhibits for his grandson's ups and downs and the challenges Ray faces in his young life. I admired the rapport between and the depth of their bond with each other and to their heritage.

The author's use of higher-level vocabulary and her respect for the reader's intelligence make this a great read for readers of all ages! I believe this would be an excellent read-aloud for families, classrooms, libraries, and youth/scout/church groups.

This collection was heartwarming and touching. I will be seeking out more of this author's work to read in the future.

Highly-recommended to fans of Native American literature, diverse character fiction, family heritage fiction, historical fiction, and fiction where the main character is a male.

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I borrowed this book from the New Book shelf in the children's section of the local public library. {The book was originally published in 2002, but was only recently acquired by the local library I use.}

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[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

66 pages that will warm the hearts of readers in grades 2-4. Ray Halfmoon lives with his Cherokee grandfather in Chicago but they regularly visit family members in the more rural Oklahoma. Each chapter is a standalone vignette out of their lives-stories of bad haircuts, special gifts, a Christmas that doesn’t go as planned, being a ring bearer in a wedding and other regular life events. Very little from the traditions of the Cherokee people are included, but it is obvious that heritage is important to both grandfather and grandson. Some of the chapters will bring chuckles such as when the wedding tux came without pants and Ray has to make do with his grandfather’s! Solid choice for collections needing more Native representation and a solid readership in realistic fiction. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series of six, gentle short stories about the same Cherokee-Seminole characters, a young boy, Ray Halfmoon, and his Grandpa Halfmoon. Over the course of the stories, the reader learns Ray is living with his grandpa in Chicago after his parents were killed in a tornado in Oklahoma.

Each story is only 11-pages, so they're perfect for lower elementary grades /middle grade readers.

In "Indian Shoes," Ray trades his high tops for a pair of moccasins for grandpa.

In "Don't Forget the Pants," Grandpa has to think fast to find Ray a pair of pants that fit so Ray can be in a wedding.

In "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" Ray and Grandpa figure out a way to get Christmas dinner to the pets they're house sitting despite a power outage.

In "The Accident," Ray's ferret ruins his watercolor painting the day before it's due and he has to figure out a solution.

"Team Colors" reminded me of past haircuts gone wrong on my son. Grandpa Halfmoon kinda messes up Ray's hair and has to figure out a solution.

And finally in "Night Fishing," Ray and his Grandpa go home to Oklahoma and relive old memories on the lake.

Teachers' Note:

The author, on her website, offers a bunch of teaching resources for the book!

There is a Reading Group Guide, a Readers Theater for "Don't forget the pants," Multiple Intelligence Projects, a Word Search puzzle with vocabulary from the story, and Discussion Questions including one from each short story and four general ELA concept questions, such as "What makes a short story collection different than a novel?" She also offers an author interview, an excerpt from the text and a "behind the scenes" look at several interviews with the author published in several outlets.

And to mark the release of the paperback of the book, author-educator Andrea Page (Lakota) created a new teaching guide. It features 11 discussion questions, including a preview for clues about the main characters in the illustrations. Other questions relate to setting, foreshadowing, transitions, identifying conflict, symbolism and themes / values, and one question pertaining to the author in the Author's Note at the end.

Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?

Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

[Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although presented as a chapter book, Indian Shoes is really more like 6 separate short stories involving the same characters. Each short chapter details a particular day or short period of time in the life of Ray and his Grampa Halfmoon. Ray and his Grampa are Native Americans who used to live in Oklahoma but moved to Chicago together after Ray's parents died. Each chapter or story details a fairly mundane day in the life of the duo (buying shoes at an antique store, getting a haircut, playing baseball, pet-sitting around the holidays, etc.). They are all positive stories with morals of sort at the end. They also just focus on the relationship between Ray and his Grampa, as they navigate what is likely a very challenging situation with very positive attitudes.

There isn't much more to detail here in terms of a plot summary. I understand how this can just be a nice feel good read, but it wasn't really for me (outside of it obviously being a kids book). There just wasn't really anything interesting that actually happened and I didn't find it very interesting. It was incredibly short, though, which was nice.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful childrens book....about a young boy and his Grandfather.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but full of heart!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet stories! I enjoyed the realistic stories where they make the best of hard situations, things don’t turn out perfect but okay

[Andrew Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book which captivates your imagination, which tells a collection of short stories between Ray Halfmoon whom is a young boy who goes to live with his Grampa Halfmoon in Chicago after Ray’s parents are tragically killed in a tornado. Grampa used to live in Oklahoma and still visits his family on occasion but is very homesick to visit Oklahoma but his old beat up pickup truck has broken down. Ray tries to figure out how to ease his Grampas homesickness since he has no money to help fix the truck or buy a bus ticket. Perhaps a new pair of Seminole Moccasins would help, but regardless Ray and Grampa have the type of relationship that EVERY kid should have with their grandparents, whom should be there for you in good times and bad. A must read for any child and adult!

[Jennybeast · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad this is updated and back in print! Ray lives with his Grampa Halfmoon in Chicago. Not a lot of money, but they are happy together and have small adventures. Book addresses: Native people in modern life (still here!), poverty, living with a grandparent after the death of parents, day-to-day life in a family that is full of love. It's the wonderful humor that I love the most about this book -- the stories are small moments -- like the funniest, most wonderful memories you have with someone dear.

[M. Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds me a bit of the Julian series in that it is a series of episodes strung together in a lose arc. I loved the depiction of the boy and his grandfather and their easy affection and realistic struggles. Light humor mixes with very real challenges that are dealt with subtly and readers can either dig into or skim over. I also really appreciate a realistic fiction book written about contemporary Native characters. An unfortunately rare book for children.

[Claire Tate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: multicultural
Awards:
Audience: 3rd-6th grade
A) The Indian culture is being emphasized in this book.
B) The story's main topic is about Ray and his grandfather learning about the Indian culture through moccasins. Ray did not grow up living in an Indian culture so he is learning small things from his grandfather. This story shows the love Ray's grandfather has for him in times of trouble and Ray returns that love by trading a pair of high tops for a pair of moccasins for grandfather Half-moon.
C) This book portrays the Indian culture in a positive and friendly way. The author could have definitely chose a topic of the Indian heritage that was very harsh or negative but she chose to write about a grandfather-grandson relationship.
D) Q: "Why did Ray trade shoes for his grandfather?"
A: "He knew that his grandfather loved and wore moccasins so he was very thoughtful and traded some high tops for a pair to give to him."

[Beth Anne]

Hard one to put a star rating on. 3 stars for just reading it, 4/5 for the Native aspects.

This novella is really a collection of 6 short stories that are loosely connected chronologically. The stories follow Ray and his grandfather through normal, every day activities like a Cubs game, Christmas, creating a project for an art competition, and deeper family connections. Ray is a Seminole-Mohawk who was not raised with much knowledge of his heritage, and he lives with his grandfather because his parents are dead. There isn’t a lot of character development or depth of plot, but I think the beauty of this book is in its simplicity. There is Native heritage and themes, but in a very simple setting. I think this would work best as a read aloud, especially for elementary age, but I would probably pick a different book to hand to grades 4+ if I wanted them to read a novel featuring Native kids.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

So happy I was able to add this into my November reading in recognition of Indigenous People's Month. Cynthia Leitich Smith is also the author of one of my favorite picture books: Jingle Dancer.

Here are some notes about this chapter book:

🌟There are six chapter or independent stories -- most take place in Chicago.

🌟All six star Ray Halfmoon, a Seminole-Cherokee boy, and his Grampa Halfmoon.

🌟Each is told with some humor and heart.

🌟Illustrations by Jim Madsen bring the stories to life.

🌟My favorite is the first one and is about Indian shoes. When Ray has his eye on a pair of moccasins at the thrift store. When another customer is about to buy them, Ray's creativity saves the day.

This would work well as a classroom read aloud title for kids in second through fourth grades.

[Shayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indian Shoes is a collection of short stories about a boy and his grandfather. A 7th grade kid I worked with needed to read a book for his language arts product to bring up his grade. At 66 pages (with lots of pictures) this was the shortest one in the library. We finished it in 3 class periods taking turns reading a page at a time. The stories all had a lot of heart behind them and always ended humorously. It also gave us enough to talk about for the project and he said he liked it. He's a pretty quiet kid, but I think we connected a little talking about our own families using this book. It would be a great class read aloud book. It's really more of an elementary school book so kids 2-5 would enjoy reading it solo but would also be great for struggling readers. Indian Shoes is in the same vein as The House on Mango Street and a cute, super fast read.

[Katie Kaste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indian Shoes by Cynthia Leitich Smith explores the heartwarming bond between Ray Halfmoon and his Grampa, blending humor, love, and the importance of family. Ray, who prefers his bright hightops, doesn’t hesitate to trade them for a pair of traditional moccasins for his grandfather, who’s always been there for him. The book captures their many adventures like the time they took on pet-sitting for the entire block during a blizzard. With a mix of modern and cultural elements, Cynthia Leitich Smith uses wit and warmth to celebrate the connection between generations, bringing to life a story full of joy and heart.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s writing shines, whether she’s crafting fantasy worlds or capturing contemporary life. Indian Shoes is a charming slice-of-life story about the bond between a boy and his grandfather. While many of the tales have universal appeal, others offer a beautiful glimpse into the Native American experience. This blend of everyday moments with cultural specificity makes the book even more special. I’m excited to dive into more of her backlist and see where her storytelling takes me next!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indian Shoes is a middle grade book focused on Ray and his Grandpa. As they are two Native Americans who live far away from their tribes, they make occasional journeys to their families. But while in the city, the pair enjoy the time together, from getting a haircut, to buying a pair of moccasins, to even preparing for a wedding.

Throughout the novel, which is divided to be like short adventure stories, Ray and Grandpa are shown to have a loving bond that brings them closer. Subtly, each adventure they go on is associated to their heritage as well. So readers not only learn about indigenous culture, but also see the heartwarming experience of a little boy having fun with his elderly Grandpa.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really lovely updated collection of short stories that follows the relationship between Ray and his Grampa, Halfmoon who live in Chicago. Each story can be read individually (for the most part) and build towards creating a nice early chapter book.

The style is accessible whilst still maintaining a rich and engaging narrative (both Grampa and Ray have a loving relationship). In this collection, Grampa shares Seminole and Cherokee stories with Ray and there are rich cultural references throughout which I really welcomed. A lovely choice for beginning-chapter readers.

With regards to the implied readership in the UK, some support will be needed but discussions will be richer for it.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick MG read about the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson.
👟
Ray Halfmoon might favor his high tops, but he’s quick to trade them for a pair of moccasins if it means doing something special for his Grampa. After all, Grampa Halfmoon is always there for him, especially when Ray finds himself in tricky situations – like the time they tackled pet sitting for the entire neighborhood during a holiday blizzard! Together, Ray and his Grampa share a heartwarming journey filled with love, tradition, and a bit of mischief.
🥾
This was such a sweet read. It would be a great read aloud for Indigenous Peoples’ Month for elementary or middle grade readers!

[Shana OkieCozyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is made up of a few not connected chapters that work as short stories. They are about the same characters, Ray and his grandfather (it mentions his parents were killed by a tornado). Stories range from seeing a pair of moccasins at a store with his grandfather and going back later to find them to going to a wedding and realizing he doesn’t have pants with his jacket to fishing with his grandfather.

They are sweet stories, pretty much chaacter driven - not a lot necessarily happens. I wish I would have realized earlier they were short stories, because I kept thinking I was missing something.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short book about a Native American boy named Ray and his relationship with his Grampa. While the back cover, title, and first chapter make the book seem like it's about how a pair of moccasins will deepen Ray and Grampa's connection, this is more of a collection of short stories rather than a novel with a plot, climax, and resolution. "Night Fishing" by far was my favorite chapter.

I'd like to read another novel by Leitich Smith to get a better feel of their writing style, and to read another of their own voices stories.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, but the interconnected stories felt a bit disjointed and it was hard to build a rapport with the characters. I usually love Cynthia Leitich Smith's stuff, but this one was not my favorite. I did love that it presented a young Native boy and his grandfather in present-day, and outside of a reservation. Too many kids (and hell, adults) think that Indigenous peoples are part of the past only, or don't live in cities or towns. So that was nice to see, particularly for this audience.

[Joey Trizzino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of pleasant short stories about a young boy named Ray, a Native American who lives in Chicago with his Grandpa. Halfmoon, the grandpa, is the types of grandpa that any child would love to be able to call their grandpa. Very wise and playful, he allows Ray the independence to make his way through life and make mistakes. Even with allowing this freedom for Ray, Halfmoon can be protective. Everything Ray does he seeks to make his grandpa proud.

[Lolo Onda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my 3rd and 4th graders. It was a substitute for another book that aligned with our curriculum. I was pleasantly surprised by the short stories of each chapter and the deep connection we were able to analyze between Grampa Halfmoon and Ray. My students and I both enjoyed the themes of each chapter and we spent a lot of time discussing and connecting to the characters.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I both laughed out loud and shed some tears, so I would say that this book must be a success! I loved the relationship between the boy and his grandpa. There are also some great themes about love and family connection. This is a modern American Indian story, with their heritage not being the theme of the book, but simply the reality of their lives.

GREAT JOB CYNTHIA!!

[Jessica_loves_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, VERY SHORT read about a boy and his grandfather as told through 4 seasons. I read it because it was a mere 60 or so pages and I am imagining a middle schooler coming in needing a quick read before school started. This is definitely that-and the story, if you let it, makes you think about your relationship with your grandparents.

[Nicoswan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what my family needed was to finish the last chapter tonight. "Something bigger..."
Thank you Cynthia Leitich Smith for this portrait of Midwest Native familial love and friendship.
My kin and parts of my childhood are between Chicago and a small town in Southern IL, all the up into the border of Canada.
Lake families are loving and strong, just like this book.

[Tyler Garries · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about the relationship between a young Native boy and his grandfather. The various short stories are not interconnected and each one highlights a different aspect of the relationship between the boy and his grandfather.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book was difficult to follow. It had several short stories. I personally didn’t care for the style of writing. I had to read and reread several pages because the writing didn’t flow for me.