Sherman is a young boy with many shoes, but not all of them fit every occasion. “Which shoes does Sherman choose / to go shelling at the shore?” A turn of the page reveals: “He wears flip-flops so his feet won’t get sore.” Sherman’s shoe collection includes skates, flippers, tennis shoes, sneakers, hiking boots, dress shoes, slippers and galoshes. Cote’s gouache-and–watercolor pencil illustrations are sure to appeal to her intended audience—Sherman is full of personality, and the situations he finds himself in are ones that readers will find either already familiar or will want to try out. All the footwear choices are illustrated on the cover and endpapers for readers’ reference. While the scansion of the rhymes is a little off at times, it remains an enjoyable book for sharing, especially useful for that stubborn childhood stage when one pair of shoes becomes a particular favorite. (Picture book. 3-5)
