High Top: Sole Mates by Tom Lacey

High Top: Sole Mates – at a glance

The School Reading Lists’ five word review: love, kindness, consideration, empathy.
Children’s book title: High Top: Sole Mates.
Children’s author: Tom Lacey.
Genre: Picture book.
Published by: Little Tiger.
ISBN: 9781788957038.
Recommended for children aged: 3-6 year-olds.
First published: Paperback April 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: spreading kindness and love.


High Top: Sole Mates by Tom Lacey

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Our review:

High Top: Sole Mates is a picture book aimed at 3-6-year-olds. Sneaker, “High Top” is well-meaning and wants to spread kindness and love in shoe town. He makes lots of kind gestures to the other shoes throughout the book but, goes a little too far when he blows out the town’s lights.

High Top: Sole Mates by Tom Lacey spread 1

All of the love and kindness he has shown to everyone results in love and kindness back. This book offers good examples of important social skills such as how we can show love and care for others. Being kind doesn’t just make others happy but, makes yourself feel good too, causing “Brain warm fuzzies”.

The book is persuasively positive and bright using colourful illustrations and quirky shoe names such as Vincent Van Toe. It’s a brilliant model for young children to understand the concept of being considerate of others and most importantly, to spread love.

High Top: Sole Mates by Tom Lacey spread 2

Many thanks to Little Tiger for the review copy.


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If you like High Top: Sole Mates by Tom Lacey you might also like: our reviews of Pink Trucks by Sam Clarke and Cory Reid, Old Bear by Jane Hissey, A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond and Little Big Feelings Endorsed by Dr Janet Rose.


Browse our list of kindness books



About Joanna Hadley

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I have worked within childcare for the past 34 years and have been a foster carer for ten of these years. My expertise is supporting traumatized children and their social and emotional health. I have used social stories to support children, build self esteem and to encourage interests. I have written two children's books. Website | Reviews by Joanna Hadley