The Cat Ate My Shoes (Paperback or Softback)

A charming, playfully illustrated story about a boy who can't find his shoes one morning while getting ready for his first day of kindergarten.

The Cat Ate My Shoes is the humorous story of Diego, a boy who is getting ready for his first day of kindergarten and can't remember where he put his shoes. Instead of telling his father the truth, he tells a series of white lies to explain why his shoes are missing. Each explanation involves one of the family's pets (and, finally, the giant who lives in the backyard). The boy's patient father demonstrates why each explanation doesn't account for the missing shoes. When the boy finally admits that he doesn't know where his shoes are, his father tells him. In the end, he encourages his son to come up with a solution for knowing where his shoes are each morning.

Children will enjoy the humor in this story and will sympathize with Diego's dilemma. Repetitive phrases lend themselves to be read aloud with the adult. The story offers an opportunity for discussion between adult and child about lying, problem-solving, and facing your fears.

Jay Allen White likes a good story, whether it's written for a five year old or a fifty-five year old. He first started writing at the age of three, but couldn't figure out a way to submit what he had scribbled on the wall to a publisher. As an elementary school teacher, Jay enjoyed sharing books with his first graders and reading chapter books to his fourth graders. He also enjoyed reading books to his own children. Jay has written elementary school curriculum, a newspaper column, and travel blogs. And now, a children's picture book. He plans to continue writing for children.

Nadia Ronquillo is a children's book illustrator, visual development artist and content creator from Ecuador. After receiving her Bachelor's in Graphic Design and Audiovisual Production, she started freelancing as a children's book illustrator and collaborating remotely as a visual development artist with studios in Latin America. She is now developing a tv series show for kids. In 2020 she founded Nadia Ronquillo studio.