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Table of Contents
About The Book
Three starred reviews!
From Caldecott Honor– and Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor–winning author-illustrator Jashar Awan comes a hilarious and “confidence-boosting” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) picture book about the perseverance and positive self-talk needed to learn to tie your shoelaces!
This big kid is wearing his first pair of big-kid shoes, the kind with laces! Even though they’re a little on the roomy side—shoes to grow into, of course—he knows he can take care of them. Except they keep falling off!
Not to worry, he’ll just tie them up again, because he knows how to tie those loops! But wait a second, where did that darn shoe go?
Nothing is ever truly easy when you’re just starting something new; but, just like with any stage in childhood, whether it’s making your first steps, or going down the really big slide, with persistence, doing anything scary or overwhelming quickly becomes a piece of cake! And before you know it, you’re a BIG KID!
From Caldecott Honor– and Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor–winning author-illustrator Jashar Awan comes a hilarious and “confidence-boosting” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) picture book about the perseverance and positive self-talk needed to learn to tie your shoelaces!
This big kid is wearing his first pair of big-kid shoes, the kind with laces! Even though they’re a little on the roomy side—shoes to grow into, of course—he knows he can take care of them. Except they keep falling off!
Not to worry, he’ll just tie them up again, because he knows how to tie those loops! But wait a second, where did that darn shoe go?
Nothing is ever truly easy when you’re just starting something new; but, just like with any stage in childhood, whether it’s making your first steps, or going down the really big slide, with persistence, doing anything scary or overwhelming quickly becomes a piece of cake! And before you know it, you’re a BIG KID!
About The Author
Photograph by Jashar Awan
Jashar Awan is an award-winning author and illustrator of books for children. Growing up outside of Washington, DC, Jashar loved drawing and reading. In fact, he still does. For many years, he drew illustrations for publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times. Since being named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start with his debut picture book What a Lucky Day! in 2020, his subsequent books have garnered starred reviews and spots on state reading lists and best-of lists from the New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Good Housekeeping, NPR, and more. He is the creator of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book Towed by Toad and the Caldecott Honor book Every Monday Mabel. He lives in Ohio with his wife and their son, who loves drawing and reading, too. Visit him at JasharAwan.com.
About The Illustrator
Photograph by Jashar Awan
Jashar Awan is an award-winning author and illustrator of books for children. Growing up outside of Washington, DC, Jashar loved drawing and reading. In fact, he still does. For many years, he drew illustrations for publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times. Since being named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start with his debut picture book What a Lucky Day! in 2020, his subsequent books have garnered starred reviews and spots on state reading lists and best-of lists from the New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Good Housekeeping, NPR, and more. He is the creator of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book Towed by Toad and the Caldecott Honor book Every Monday Mabel. He lives in Ohio with his wife and their son, who loves drawing and reading, too. Visit him at JasharAwan.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 3, 2026)
- Length: 48 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665974950
- Ages: 4 - 8
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
A Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
★ "Awan has again offered a warm little pocket of the world where a child is loved, respected, protected, and confident."
– The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED REVIEW
★ "The magic of this story is its emotional calibration. It respects how monumental even a small setback feels to a child. . . It’s a book about perseverance that feels like a conversation rather than a lesson. . . A colorful, high-energy, and deeply empathetic book, perfect for children currently battling their own loops."
– School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
★ "Via artwork that evokes the peppy boldness of vintage screen-printed posters and a horizontal format that turns “learning to be a big kid!” into a full stage-show, Awan (Every Monday Mabel) zeroes in on a common milestone on the wobbly path to maturation."
– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"Awan authentically captures the cadence and preoccupations of early-childhood speech. The main character’s eagerness to grow up and their resilience in the face of failure when they lose their shoe yet again...add wisdom and humor in equal measure."
– The Horn Book
"Sweet, relatable, and quietly empowering, this book is an excellent tool for teaching persistence and resilience."
– Booklist
"Cleverly draws connections between “learning to be a big kid” and never giving up—life lessons worth learning."
– Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Loops
Fixed Layout eBook 9781665974950
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Author Photo (jpg): Jashar Awan Photograph by Jashar Awan(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
