Your Red Shoes written by Dr. John Hutton and illustrated by Leah Busch (2014)
Your Red Shoes is a sweet story about a toddler getting a new pair of shoes. It is told through the loving voice of the child’s father as he imagines all the things they’ll do together wearing those new shoes. And in that wistful voice, the reader hears how fast the child is growing until she will need another pair of new shoes.
Author, Dr. John Hutton hails from my hometown, Cincinnati, Ohio and is the owner of one of my favorite bookstores in town, the Blue Manatee. He is the author of several award winning books and a local pediatrician.
Illustrator, Leah Busch also lives and works in Cincinnati. Her watercolor illustrations for this story are soft and lovely. She has collaborated with Dr. John Hutton on several of his other books as well.
This is the special kind of book that tugs at your heartstrings. The words and images have a lasting effect, especially if you have experienced this bond between yourself and a child.
Juliana Lee 