The Crypto-Capers Review

The Crypto-Capers Review
March 2, 2011

Book Review for Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes by Larry Peterson
by Renee Hand

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. As a freelancer, he has written many newspaper columns for local publications. Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes is his first children’s book. Peterson has lived in Pinellas Park, Florida for the past 28 years.

Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes is a tale about the acceptance of differences.

Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes is about a boy named, Willie Wiggles, who has the slipperiest feet that anyone has ever seen. He has a hard time playing like ordinary children. He can barely walk without sliding all over the place.

Then one day, it happens, Willie's mother finds a pair of shoes that will make Willie's life a little easier. But Willie doesn't see it that way. He feels they are the ugliest shoes he has ever seen, and he can't stand them. But, not being able to get out of it, is forced to wear them.

He wears his new shoes to school, where everyone laughs at him, including his teacher and principal. Feeling self conscious, he leaves the school and heads for home. His adventure home is full of people who ridicule him. People laugh and make fun, their voices ringing through his ears to the point where he can't escape the cruelty of others.

When he confronts his mother with what happened. He wakes up and realizes it was just a dream, but the lesson he learns from his mothers wise words, makes him realize that sometimes our imaginations get the best of us, and we overreact. When Willie goes to school with his new shoes, will his nightmares become a reality?

This is a great story that recognizes the many problems that children have to deal with on a daily basis. But the moral is not to worry about what others think, and to accept ourselves for the things that make us special. That is where it begins. The back of the book provides some suggested activities for the reader to get involved with, and includes some discussion questions.

My only quibble with this story is that it uses an excessive amount of the words, stupid and hate. Otherwise, this story does give the reader, in a fun way, the importance of accepting others uniqueness, and not ridiculing people who are different than ourselves. We should treat others as we would like to be treated.