The Wrong Shoes

by Tom Percival

A beautiful and urgent exploration of the experience of child poverty from Tom Percival, creator of the bestselling Big Bright Feelings series, for fans of Boy at the Back of the Class .

'Powerful and moving with the potential to change lives' Hannah Gold

'Full of empathy and most importantly, heart' Phil Earle

There's a bunch of kids in there and suddenly they're all looking at me like someone who can actually do something, not just some weirdo with the wrong shoes and a rubbish coat . . .

Will has the wrong shoes – he's always known it but doesn't know how to change it. Navigating the difficulties of home and school when you feel you stick out is tough, but finding confidence with the help and empathy of friends can be all you need to see the way.

Praise for The Wrong

‘An extraordinary, powerful and moving book that has the potential to change lives.’ Hannah Gold
‘Every chapter is full of experience & empathy & most importantly, heart’ Phil Earle
‘Reading fiction is about walking in the shoes of people whose lives are very different to ours and allowing more readers to see themselves in stories. The Wrong Shoes is the perfect example of both – the right book at the right time’ Tom Palmer
‘A brilliant book – such a perfect marriage of words and illustrations and an important story told with real heart’ Christopher Edge
‘A hopeful, honest, big-hearted read. You’ll be rooting for the main character, Will, from the very first page . . . ’ Clara Vulliamy
‘A beautifully illustrated, deeply moving, empathy-boosting story . . .’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande
‘A superbly courageous and timely book. Will is a protagonist so many children and adults will identify with, really beautiful’ Steven Lenton

Genres: Middle Grade, Friendship, Poverty, Childrens, Family, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary

Audible Audio

Published July 18, 2024

About the author

Tom Percival writes and illustrates picture books (you know, for kids) as well as illustrating books written by other people. The most well known of these is probably the excellent Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy.

He grew up in a remote and beautiful part of South Shropshire. On reflection this seemed rather more remote than beautiful, owing to the fact that he lived in a small caravan without electricity, mains water or any sensible form of heating. He thinks that he’s probably one of the few people in his peer group to have learnt to read by gas lamp.
Surprisingly enough he has never been called ‘hippy’ (to the best of his knowledge)

Tom now lives in an actual house with his girlfriend and their two young sons.
His favourite colour is turquoise and his favourite number is usually seven.

Tom has three picture books available, Tobias and the Super Spooky Ghost Book, A Home for Mr Tipps, Jack's AMAZING Shadow and a fourth, Herman's Letter will be publishing in October 2012 through Bloomsbury

Reviews

[Courtney Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember no matter how hard you may think you have it during this cost of living crisis never forget who really suffers at the end of the day, kids.

[LudmilaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Exploring issues of a child living in poverty. Harrowing and insightful, but ultimately uplifting and hopeful. Great read.

[Rebecca Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 20 of 2025

What a beautiful, hard-hitting, topical book. I love Tom Percival’s picture books and was excited to read this chapter book which focuses on child poverty through the eyes of a child. Although it’s not a particularly challenging read for a tween/teen book, the subject matter is hard-hitting, so definitely a read for 10-13 year olds. Loved the graphic novel style illustrations and quotes. Would be great as a class novel. 10/10!

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wasn't for me. Seemed a bit basic - needed either some humour or realness to it, the dialogue felt archaic.

Similar books I preferred:
The Crazy Shoe Shuffle by Gillian Cross
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf
No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pantofi nepotriviti Tom Percival

Suntem suma alegerilor noastre!

✍️Viața este grea și uneori luăm deciziile greșite. Dar asta nu înseamnă că nu putem lua și deciziile corecte.
Asta e puterea pe care o avem clipă de clipă, puterea de a decide una sau alta. Și trebuie să iei cea mai bună decizie pe care o poți lua în situația respectivă .

Protagonistul nostru, Will, nu trece prin cea mai bună perioadă din viața sa, din contra...din rău, în mai rău...Părinții au divortat, mama și-a găsit pe altcineva, tatăl are un accident de muncă în timp ce muncea "la negru", deci nu avea asigurare, stau într-un apartament ce nu au căldură într-un cartier rău famat, o perioadă cu adevarat dificilă în care sunt nevoiți să trăiască din ajutorul social. De parcă nu era suficient, este agasat de Chris zilnic, relatia de prietenie cu Cameron este afectată- temporar, la școală are niște izbucniri nu tocmai potrivite...

Copii, fiți exact ca tânără Kalia! Cea care a decis să fie de partea celui asuprit. Dacă stai și asiști la bulling, se cheamă complicitate.

✍️Există o diferență între a fi agresiv și a da de înțeles că n-o să te lasi călcat în picioare.

Când credeam că fix concursul la care urma să se înscrie, cu minunata pictură a bufnitei argintii, va fi soluția acoperirii datoriei tatălui său (asta dacă reușeau să-l convingă pe Damien să-i mai păsuiască cu datoria), ceva îl abate din drumul lui, un "prieten" potrivit...

✍️Te-ai simțit vreodată ca și cum ești condus pe un anumit drum? Ca si cum fiecare alegere pe care o faci decide și urmatoarele alegeri? Si dacă faci prea multe decizii greșite, asta e - vei fi prins în viaţa aceea.

Așa că Will începe să petreacă timp cu Chris și gașca lui, ( o zi, dar o clipă, o zi, influențează destinul) fură niste căști dintr-un magazin, descoperă cu ce se ocupau Chris și gașca, iar când este întrebat dacă dorește să fie și el partea din ea...

✍️Întotdeauna ai de ales. Și acea alegere, probabil că n-a fost ușoară. Întotdeauna e mai ușor să mergi cu turma.

✍️ Faza în viață e că schimbările nasoale se pot petrece foarte rapid, dar schimbările în bine întotdeauna se întâmplă mai lent .

Chris ajunge să fie demascat, dar nu se răzbună pe Will, din contră îl caută și îi mulțumește pentru că tocmai suspendării lui de la școală, nu a luat parte la furtul organizat de Zyan, care acum se află sub control judiciar.

Ingrijoratoare sunt datele oferite de autor, privind nivelul crescut al % de copii ce trăiesc în Marea Britanie ( în toată lumea) la limita subzistenței...

Într-o lume normală niciun copil nu ar trebui să se simtă stingherit din cauza conditiei sociale, a hainelor, încălțămintei pe care le poartă. Nu mai spun că nici nu ar trebui să simtă aceste neajunsuri, dar să le trăiască pe propria piele.

✍️Atunci când mai există copii care suferă de foame, de frig...am eșuat ca nație...

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking but also affecting story of poverty and resilience.

The author's name (and style of illustration) caught my eye - we've read several Percival picture books over the years, and looking at the synopsis, I was keen to see how he wrote for older readers.

A story for the moment, definitely. Will can't afford to get a haircut, can't get his broken, cheap shoe replaced. He stands out, he's mocked for being poor, called 'Poundland'. And having a very wealthy best friend doesn't help.

His dad's place is freezing, they have to use foodbanks to get by since his dad's accident. And he can't tell his mum how bad it is, she and her new bloke don't have much to spare either.

So Will holds things in and tries to get by, getting caught up in situations he soon finds a little out of control and possibly heading down paths he may regret.

This was so heartbreaking to read as a parent, seeing a young person affected by his parents' finances and society's situation in general, I see so many similar families every day at work and seeing the effect on someone my son's age was hard to read.

But this is important. Children need to know what's going on around them, and most importantly, if it is, that there are ways and means to cope, to try and find help, to look ahead and see better things ahead.

Lovely work, Mr Percival. Very timely and beautifully conveyed.

For ages 9-14.

[Mrs Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! That was an amazing and powerful book. I think it is so important to shine a light on poverty and the way it affects children. I don’t think Tom could have written this any more perfectly.

[Rachelle finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this was a tween book I read for school, I enjoyed the story and thought it very relevant to the world we live in today .

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking because we've all taught this kid. Uplifting because he's the most resilient character I've come across. Just stunning.

[Daisy Hogarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 / 4...can't decide

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is just heart-wrenchingly true to real life. So many kids live in this kind of poverty. So many kids are battling these battles. Will is a brilliant main character and he’s beautifully written. The pictures throughout are just the creme de la creme. Honestly, anything Tom Percival touches is brilliance. With friendships, honesty, poverty and school all being tackled here, I think this is going to be a must read. Perfect for Y6-Y8. Loads to discuss in this and delve into. I just loved it.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read & reviewed for The Bookbag http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/T...

[Nathania · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of how I got this book is that I got it for free because the bookstore that I always go to in my city has free books to take from the doorstep of their bookstore. While searching for some good books, I came across The Wrong Shoes, which definitely piqued my interest as I’m keen on reading children’s books, and reading the summary was also something that made me curious about the story.

Growing up in a third world country, in a way I find Will’s situation relatable. There were times that I had to use what we currently have which I am more than thankful for, since that experience definitely taught me patience, and the value of money, as well as the things that we currently have.

I admire Will’s resilience, and what will really be something I remember from this book is reminding me that I do have a choice, I have a choice to make a wrong decision, but also a choice to do the right thing.

There’s something about this book that felt real, genuine, and authentic. Especially on how Will’s situation does happen in real life, the struggles that Will faces, the people we meet along the way and such. The whole time I was reading the book, I’ve always been understanding Will’s situation, and this book is definitely empathy-boosting.

There were so many statements that I highlighted and annotated in this book. So far in my reading journey, this might be the first and most inspiring book I have read. All thanks to the author for bringing this book to life!

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful read. I listened to this on audiobook (brilliantly read by Benjamin Isaac) and was transfixed.

Will and his dad are struggling financially - and this has all sorts of implications for Will, not least the fact that he wears ‘the wrong shoes’ (old, tattered, unbranded) and these become a symbol for his life in general.

The book deals with some complex themes - poverty, crime, the nature of true friendship, personal values - in a sensitive manner and the storyline feels genuine and unforced.

The character development of the main protagonists is multi dimensional and these characters aren’t portrayed as just ‘good’ or ‘bad.’

This is a book which would provide an eye-opening window for many of the students I teach, but sadly also would be a mirror for many. The story is set in the UK, but there is a universality to the themes which would apply the world over.

[Saloni (earnestlyeccentric) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will is regularly called "Poundland" by his classmates for being poor--something that's not even his fault. He navigates the challenges of poverty with great difficulty. 

Spoilers ahead.

I really liked the author's note of this book--poverty affects so many children, not just in the UK but globally too. I appreciated the motivation behind this book, but I also felt it was quite bland. Perhaps the audiobook narrator also had something to do with that? I didn't feel particularly connected to Will. I wish his personality had been fleshed out more, rather than just having him detail the day-to-day of his life. I also couldn't help feeling that the book was very on the nose. I don't know if I would have enjoyed reading this book as a kid, just because it felt so preachy. Then again, I know I'm in the minority with this book opinion.

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a powerful and heartbreaking book about family’s struggles with poverty. I liked how the author wrote this book and how they made it into such an interesting story. I really loved this book as it shows how you can struggle and then get the help you need to make life a little bit better. I liked the friendships in this book and how they all came together really well and I liked Will and his dad relationship as you could see how well they go on with each other. I really think more teenagers should read this book as it would really open their eyes. I read this book in under 24 hours as it’s easy to read and so bingable too xxx

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that highlights just how many things become so difficult when you don’t have any money. I liked that it is illustrated, recently I’ve had quite a few students ask me for books with illustrations in and other than funny diary, they aren’t easy to find.
Will is a great character who really has it tough- poverty, bullying, friendship and school issues. They are all there but Will manages to find beauty and hope in small things. It does all go horribly wrong for him, but he manages to find his way out of it.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read about a boy living in poverty and what he has to do to survive with a fantastically original layout. lots of pictures incorporated into the story, and in parts they are the story. Its worth a look for this alone. The only thing that lets it down is that the story relies on a few lucky coincidences to further the plot and a couple of things within are resolved quickly because of this when more should have been made of them. other than that the story is a quality read for 11 year olds.

[Sara Rothery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great way of informing kids they're not alone with financial struggles and there are so many families out there who are struggling and it is never the children's fault. This outlines that for some who can't afford to keep up with the now fashion it's a hard life and it comes from others who maybe more fortunate than them with an expectation of material things. It's not the case and there are too many people struggling on the bread line.
This is a must for all to read.

[Wendy Bamber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A journey of discovery about how strong this young man can be to overcome his hardships and live with the fact that he really is living in poverty. This brought out a lot of emotion for me, I really empathised with Tom and many other children in his position and their helpless plight to try and keep up with those kids that have every opportunity to succeed if their family has the means. Have given it to a year 5/6 class to have a go at as a read aloud.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for a 'middle grades' audience, this book looks at how poverty affects children. Will lives with his Dad and they have no money. Dad had an accident is now unable to find work, so they struggle and Will is bullied at school because he stands out as being different. He doesn't have the right shoes, or the right anything for that matter, but he does have the inner strength to know right from wrong and to keep on hoping that tomorrow will be a better day. Highly recommended.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

How this book didn’t get on the Carnegie shortlist I don’t know. Beautifully written and punctuated with illustrations, this book follows Will, a child living in poverty as he deals with bullying, not fitting in, being misunderstood and trying to keep his sense of pride in himself and his family. It goes wrong and then right as he learns to make good choices for himself. Perfect middle grade book. Read this ans then discover Nathanael Lessore.

[Lynne Gosbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read for Upper KS2 children that still packs a huge punch and will resonate for so many children. Loan sharks, school bullies, joblessness, changes in family dynamics, poverty, tests of friendships - it's all there and perfectly managed in a delicate balancing act between tackling the big issues and telling an engaging story. My year 6 children will love this.

[Rose Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing read. Everyone who works in education, both in primary and secondary should read this, even though it is a children's novel. It really does open eyes. Poverty, bullying, not having essential things, but also having friendships which is free.
Essential reading too for children of all ages, because of the above, and the empathy values.

[Zoe Antoniades · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well written. The dialogue is especially very good. Very relatable. In spite of the sad subject matter it often made me laugh out loud because the ‘voice’ is often so very spot on. And there are also the themes of choices, second chances and rising above adversity which are all handled very well too. And ultimately hope. ‘Fair play’ Tom Percival 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[Shelley Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is aimed at young adults, it was recommended to me and I will recommend it to anyone and everyone I ever meet. Tom Percival has written a book that is raw and hard, about the subject of child poverty and the impact this has on every aspect of their lives. How small acts of kindness can make a massive difference and how hope no matter how small can be something to cling on to.

[Samantha Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerfully told, a brilliant mix of novel, graphic novel and play. Highlights child poverty through the fictional story of Will, but how far away from reality is it? Unfortunately, pretty accurate. Cannot recommend it enough.

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's raining, and for Will on the way to school, that means a wet sock. He has a split across the sole of one of his shoes, so a wet foot is inevitable. They are not only split shoes, they are the wrong shoes. In the eyes of his classmates anyway. They wear Stan Smiths, black Nikes or Reebok classics, but Will's shoes are plastic leather, cheap and nasty.

In Will's eyes they stand out like sirens on his feet, and bullies like Chris Tucker are always listening. Chris hassles Will every chance he gets, drawing laughter from his friends and anyone else close enough to hear. Will deals with it the best he can, believing he can't do a lot about it, as Chris is older and more popular.

Will's best mate Cameron is his lifeline, and they spend a lot of time at his warm, spacious house, gaming and eating well. When returning to his own cramped, cold flat, Will knows it's not his dad's fault, and like his father, tries to stay positive. There's never much to eat, and Will makes the most of the free hot school lunches during the day, and makes do with soup and toast at home.

Another escape for Will is his drawing. He's a talented artist, even painting walls at a local cafe and appearing in the newspaper. His art teacher believes he will go a long way with his skills, but drawings don't fill his stomach or keep his feet dry in the rain. One day at school, when Chris is starting in on both Will and Cameron, a voice rings out in their defence. To their surprise, a girl in Chris' year stands up to him.

Her name is Kalia and Will is incredibly impressed at how she doesn't seem fazed at all by Chris. Maybe he will leave them be for a while? Things begin to look up a little for Will. Art class is going well and Will produces the best art than ever before, finally garnering a little respect from his classmates. Soon, Dad has news about a possible job offer, and Kalia extends more friendship.

Meeting her family brings both hope for his future and the wish his own flat was more like their home. But just when things are looking up, life changes again for him and his dad. Will feels like he will never get a break, and that his life is a slippery slope to nowhere.




'Yes, I know that life is always changing - I used to live in a nice house with both my parents and now I'm in a tiny freezing-cold flat with my dad who can't work because of his terrible leg injuries.'




He's sick of being cold, worrying about money, and pretending everything is fine with whoever asks. When offered a chance to make changes, he sees no other way and takes it. His father has made the same decision.


Fitting in at school is tough for many, and even worse when you don't look the same as your classmates. Whether it's the wrong haircut, clothes or shoes, bullies will pounce like lions. This novel is set in the UK, but schools around the world are the same when it comes to this sort of exclusion.

After reading The Invisible by the author of this novel, I knew The Wrong Shoes would be something special. The author being a talented illustrator too, there are powerful images throughout this novel, sharing the main character's experiences with poverty, bullying and choices made through frustration.

Family circumstances (anywhere) can change slowly or overnight, and the afterword by Tom Percival tells it straight - Child poverty is NEVER the child's fault. So many factors affect people's lives and children often bear the brunt.

This novel is even more moving as main character Will shares his story direct to the reader as he's living it. It's real, raw and he tells it like it is. He's a brave character, trying to protect his father's feelings, prevent his mother's worries and make things right from wrongs. But even he cracks, and it's heart wrenching.

A powerful read that will make a great read aloud for years 5 - 8 (NZ) Ages 9-12 to launch important discussions about poverty.

[Grace Glynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was really cringey. It feels like one of those books where it’s written from a teen/childs perspective but you can tell an adult wrote it, it was basic and kind of repetitive. It wasn’t for me and I just didn’t enjoy it.

[Tim Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Think shoes’. Is a phrase we use in safeguarding training I deliver and @TomPercival has turned it into this amazing story that is so thought provoking about children we sadly will all come into contact with. It is never a child’s fault!