Someone Else's Shoes

'Someone else's shoes' explores grief, loss and hope. It explores the ripple effect that suicide creates and the bravery needed to overcome loss. Izzy is already dealing with her parents divorce, disconnection with friends and feeling invisible when her uncle and cousin come to live with her after her aunt's suicide. Now she has a little cousin to look out for and a depressed uncle to tiptoe around. Explored from a teenager's point of view, the reader will watch as Izzy's priorities are reshuffled and her mindset changes.

An excellently drawn and wonderfully told tale for students and readers alike.

I was discussing this book with a friend, today. I said that I thought the book was good, but found it odd that the three main characters had gotten together because they were broken. There had been a two divorces with two of the kids's families and a suicide in the other.

He laughed. "Sounds like middle-school," he said. "That is what happens," he explained. "The outcast kids find each other. They bound that way."

And then, the book which had been a mystery to me, made sense. Of course, like the saying goes, misery loves company. Of course the outcasts would join together.

And once I understood, it wasn't that the author was trying to bunch all these kids together, rather it was that the kids were bunching themselves together. The kids knew the pain the others were suffering.

The book started off rather slow, but picked up speed from there. It is probably a 3.5 star, because of the second part of the book.

I really loved Izzy. The name of the book both refers to walking in someone else's shoes figuratively, but also the theme of shoes runs through this because of a poor choice Izzy made in footwear in the beginning of the story.

Likable, human children. Sad situation. And human adults. Well done.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This middle school book tackles some serious subjects- suicide, depression, divorce, and feeling invisible to the ones you love- but it does it well.
12 year old Izzy has a full household. Her younger cousin (Oliver), her uncle Hendersen, and now her moms boyfriend’s son (Ben) is staying with them. When Oliver’s depressed father goes missing- Izzy, Oliver, and Ben take a road trip to find him-and end up learning somethings about themselves and the people they love.

Someone Else’s Shoes was about broken homes and divorces, suicide and loss of loved ones, bullying and abandonment. It was also about love and forgiveness, birth and renewal, friendships and the meaning of family. It was an amazing story.
Several times throughout the story, Maggie urged her daughter to “rise to the occasion.” Yet, Lizzie was not the only one that took that meaning to heart. When Ben offered to buy Lizzie sneakers at a Goodwill store because her expensive flats were hurting her feet - this act of essentially wearing someone else’s shoes - moved this story to a deeper and more profound level. This was a great connection to the title.
The author’s well developed characters, with complex personalities, added depth to this story, kept the story flowing and engaged the reader. I especially liked the connection the children formed and their decision making skills. They became positive role models to each other. This was a great read and highly recommended.

This story is about a girl named Izzy who is struggling with her parents' divorce and all the changes that are coming from that and then her aunt commits suicide and her uncle and cousin come to live with them too. It's got strong themes about family and loyalty and connections to people that go beyond family, as well as depression and taking responsibility. It would be an excellent addition to any elementary or middle school library.

Loss affects people differently whether through death, abandonment, or divorce. The characters in Someone Else’s Shoes find that they can overcome the feelings of anger, profound sorrow, and denial by learning to understand and support each other.
Izzy and Ben try to help Oliver, Izzy’s cousin, find his father who disappeared. They take a journey that ends with their rescuing Oliver’s father and themselves. This story’s characters and plot are realistic. It is well worth reading, and I highly recommend it.

Interesting themes of loss, grief, mental wellbeing, and changing family circumstances make this a book I can comfortably recommend both for its usefulness as a potential class reading book, as well as being a book that could deepen understanding for any young reader coping with grief themselves. ‘Someone Else’s Shoes’ covers a whole range of areas that would be useful for young readers to explore through fiction rather than being ‘taught’ about them in a more traditional sense. This is always a plus for any YA book to have. A focus on grief and comedy is also a nice, and unexpected, juxtaposition for this kind of a book. And, while the narrative wasn’t as enthralling as it could have been, this is still a quick, interesting and useful read. Worth getting hold of if the themes appeal to you or a young reader you know.

Twelve-year-old Izzy has hit a rough patch in her life. Her parents recently divorced, and her father seems to only have time for his new wife. Izzy's mom has a habit of trying to fix everyone else's problems, and when her sister-in-law commits suicide, Izzy's mom decides her brother, Henderson, and his son, Oliver, need to come live with them. Izzy is tasked with helping out with her cousin, and having to put everyone else first has her feeling ignored and forgotten.

When another tragedy strikes, another person ends up staying with them. Ben, the sixteen-year-old son of Izzy's mom's new boyfriend, has to stay with them while his dad handles an emergency out of town. While Ben is a great companion for Oliver, he is yet another presence around to annoy Izzy. Even her two best friends seem to be growing up and away from her, leaving her all alone.

When Oliver's dad disappears and leaves him alone with Izzy and her mom, the kids know they must do something since no one else is. They set off on a trip to find him and bring him back, and end up finding friendship along the way.

At the end of the book, I was glad I had read it, and it was definitely moving at times and had a great message. The main problem with it, however, is that Izzy was a pretty horrible protagonist for 2/3 of the book. It's difficult to read a book when you actively dislike the main character. By the end everything was better, but the lack of a connection made the book seem less moving. Overall, it was a good read, even if it had some significant flaws.

Sweet novel about loss and starting over. Great coming of age story.

This is a character-driven middle grade novel that delves into the complicated emotions of a seventh grade girl struggling to come to terms with the serious changes in her life. After her aunt commits suicide, Uncle Henderson and his son (grade 5) come to live with Izzy and her mother. Izzy is also dealing with the divorce of her parents, her father's new wife and baby on the way.... and to kick it all off, her mother is now dating a dentist whose son has a reputation for being aggressive and rude. Izzy is confused about how her relationships are changing at school, and why she isn't clicking with her friends anymore. This is a lot to deal with. Some may feel there are too many issues packed into this novel, but I disagree. Kids today seem to be dealing with far more complicated issues than I ever had to as a middle grader. Kids need to connect their own feelings to imperfect characters and witness the way they cope with problems, make mistakes, and become more resilient. This is why Izzy's story is so important. Her emotions are raw, especially when it comes to her aunt's suicide. This is handled with such care, I would consider this book as a read aloud for grades 4+ because of the opportunities for class discussion/response. I loved the way Izzy "coached" her cousin to share his grief even though this is something she hasn't been able to do yet. It's surprising what Izzy learns about herself through the new friendships that take shape, leading to a middle-of-the-night runaway situation that involves a "borrowed" car. Ultimately, this book is about empathy and understanding other points of view. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for our K-8 library.

Outstanding book! This pulls at every heart string and discusses a lot of real life issues in a way that doesn't overwhelm the story. I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves a good story, regardless of their favorite genre. I will cross post a full review on Goodreads and Amazon closer to the release date of the book.

I absolutely loved this book. I will be purchasing it for my classroom. It is a great story centered around a young girl and her family, friends, and extended family. It teaches so many life lessons, especially empathy! You will want to pick this one up for your classroom library!

An interesting story of three kids who are all dealing with loss in varying degrees and in various ways. It shows how perceptions can change if we let ourselves get to know others. Good for middle grades.

This book is about three characters who find their way together due to life's struggles. I know a lot of kids at the target audience range will find comfort with this book.

This book took a little bit to get into but as soon as I did, I was hooked. Seeing how these three sort of misfit kids wind up finding each other and going on an adventure was so interesting to read about. These stories were real and touched my heart, but it wasn't too heavy which is important in a book for this age group. Overall I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and their growth throughout this novel.

Izzy is very interested in comedy, perhaps because her own life is anything but humorous. Her parents are divorced, and she rarely sees her father, who lives a distance away and is busy with his new wife. Her mother is a bit stressed, and dating Izzy's dentist, Dr. Gustino! Her Uncle Henderson and young cousin Oliver are living with her after the death of her aunt by suicide. Her uncle, a musician, can barely get out of bed, and Oliver misses both of his parents and acts out frequently. When Dr. Gustino must travel to be with his mother, who has fallen, his son, Ben, ends up staying at Izzy's house as well. Ben can't be left alone because he is angry that his mother left the family to move to California, and has been spending a lot of time with his Uncle Steve. Steve is a "bad influence" who works in an auto body shop, may smoke marijuana, and has taken underage Ben to get three different tattoos! Fortunately, Oliver takes to Ben and Ben responds well to the attention, spending time with the younger boy. When Uncle Henderson goes missing and hasn't told anyone, Oliver is beside himself. Izzy's mother is worried but doesn't have time to go look for him, so Ben and Izzy decide to run away with Oliver and look for him themselves. They assemble some money and supplies, hitchhike, "borrow" a car from Uncle Steve, and run into a number of typical road trip problems. Will their guess about Henderson's location be correct, and even if they find him, will it improve Oliver's life?
Strengths: Frequent readers of my reviews know that I am NOT a fan of sad books, and this is certainly sad. However, there have been a lot of sad books lately that are hopeful, engaging, and fun to read. This is one of them. Izzy has her moments of anger, but doesn't keep them to herself. Ben's father doesn't quite understand him, but he has his uncle to help him, and he's not a bad kid. Oliver needs more support than he is getting, but at least he has Izzy and his aunt. The best part is the road trip, and the details of that are what really make this book shine.
Weaknesses:This is not a great cover. Dark and rather 1908s like. Might take some handselling. I wish the cover had reflected the road trip. I'm still not a huge fan of dysfunctional adults-- how is it even an option not to get out of bed and do the best you can? I just do not understand this and am always a little angered by this portrayal of grief, but this is a personal reaction and not one my readers will have.
What I really think: Not sure how interested my students are in comedy, but they do like road trips, so I will probably buy this.

Wow! This book had a lot going on from divorce to suicide of an aunt, and tattoos to bright yellow dyed hair. I enjoyed the writing style and wisdom the author shared with such heavy and light topics.

I love a story about the “outsider” kid finding their place in the world, especially in a middle grade story. This story gave me three of these characters who were all broken and made “other” for sad (and even tragic) reasons.

It would have been easy for these characters to be one dimensional, but they all felt like realistic teens and preteens. None of their behaviors felt fixed to move the plot along; they felt natural. Izzy, especially, was so relatable in her starting middle school confusion and upset at everything and everyone around her changing so much.

This book would be wonderful for a middle grader dealing with any of the tough topics discussed: divorce, new siblings/partners for divorced parents, suicide, and grief. It shows that all of the characters deal in their own ways, but life goes on and things do get better. This was a quick, but so powerful, read.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Izzy and Oliver's engaging characters make this riveting story one that I want to read again and again. Although I cannot recommend this book to my current students because they are too young for the content, I would highly recommend it to middle school students and beyond. The universal themes visited in this captivating story speak to all audiences. This is a book you won't want to put down!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

How do three sort of broken young people start to reassemble themselves? They make some bad choices, go on a road trip, and most importantly, they find each other and learn to open up about their losses.

• Pro: I wasn't sure about Izzy, but she grew on me. At first she seemed a little selfish, but as she opened up more, I discovered that she was also hurting. She did grow quite a bit from her experience, and I saw it happening, bit by bit, and each time, I was quite proud of all the progress she made.

• Pro: Ben, Oliver, and Izzy seemed so different from each other, but they all shared the loss of a parent in some way. Oliver's was probably the most devastating, but I like that Wittlinger didn't make Ben and Izzy's "losses" seem like non-events, because they weren't for them. The different degree of loss also gave the other characters some perspective, and helped them work through their issues. I like how it put that "in someone else's shoe" thing into practice.

• Pro: The portrayal of a father in the throes of grief can be quite meaningful to a child, who is in the same situation. Men are so often portrayed as "strong", and this father wore his grief on the outside. Sometimes we need to see things like this.

• Pro: The road trip was so wrong, but also pushed the characters in the right direction. It was an opportunity to see a different side of Ben and Izzy, as well as, finally see Oliver release all the pent up anger, fear, and sadness he had been hiding from his dad.

• Pro: Wittlinger's discussion involving Oliver's mother's suicide was handled in a gentle and considerate manner. They discussed the mother's existing mental health issues and her battle with them, while also standing behind therapy and medication as a way to deal with grief and depression. I know I appreciated this perspective.

• Pro: The ending was full of hope, and a story with so many heavy things needs to be capped off with a healthy does of hope. So, thank you, Ellen Wittlinger for that, and for the cute comedy bits in-between, which gave this story balance, and kept it from being too heavy.

Overall: A tender and heartwarming story of grief and loss, but also of connection and healing, which thoughtfully tackled some very big issues.

A sweet story about three young people who help each through times of trauma. 12-year old Izzy Shepherd is none too happy about her cousin Oliver (10) an his father Henderson coming to stay with her mother and her after Oliver’s mom commits suicde. She is even less happy when the tattoo-wearing 16-year old son of the man her mom is seeing is foisted on the family as well when his father has to leave town on an emergency trip. However, when Oliver’s father disappears, the three join forces and learn a lot about what it means to be a family — even if it isn’t the one you’re born into. Some good discussions of the guilt children can feel when a parent leaves.

Someone Else's Shoes is a book that deals with some tough topics and all of the emotions that go with it. Izzy and her extended family members deal with a myriad of issues that involve many layers of emotions with each one. The topic of suicide is addressed in a compassionate manner where the author does an excellent job of capturing the characters emotional struggles as they try to cope with the loss of someine they love. The title is perfect for a story that allows the reader to journey into tough topics (suicide, divorce, depression, loss, finding where one fits in) and walk in 'Someone Else's Shoes' to feel the emotions they are feeling. I highly recommend this book!

Trigger warning for suicide and bullying.

10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day. In America National Suicide Prevention Week is the Sunday through Saturday of the week surrounding this date. In 2018 this is 9 to 15 September.

If you are thinking about suicide, please know that you are not alone and help is available.

In Australia you can call 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au

In America you can call 1-800-273-8255 or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

A list of international suicide hotlines can be found at https://www.befrienders.org

Twelve year old Izzy wants to be a comedian but life hasn’t been funny for a while now. Since her parent’s divorce she rarely sees her father. He’s remarried to someone too young for him and they’re having a baby soon so Izzy feels like she’s been replaced. Izzy lives with her mother who seems too preoccupied with everyone else’s problems to listen to Izzy’s.

Her mother’s dentist boyfriend has a 16 year old son, Ben, who is mean and scary. Plus Izzy now has to share her home with her annoying 10 year old cousin, Oliver, and her Uncle Henderson. Oliver’s mother died by suicide and while Izzy is sad about her aunt’s death she doesn’t really understand why it happened or why it’s making her uncle act so strangely.

‘Izzy knew from experience that when something bad happened to you, your friends got scared, as if they could catch your problems.’

Izzy, Ben and Oliver come from different worlds and don’t seem to have any common ground but they wind up on a road trip together searching for Uncle Henderson when he suddenly goes missing. The three kids, through death or divorce, have all experienced the loss of a parent and they all feel abandoned. They each deal with feeling invisible in their own way. They’re kids that wouldn’t normally choose to spend time together but discover they’re not so different after all.

I initially found Izzy’s attitude annoying and sorry, Izzy, but I think your comedy routine needs some work. She grew on me though. Throughout the book Izzy becomes more empathetic and learns that not all change is bad. I thought Oliver was a sweetheart from the beginning. The character that surprised me the most was Ben who, while I think we’re supposed to dislike him (at least initially), I loved from our first meeting.

“Be always tender, a little fragile.
It’s not a weakness if your heart breaks just a little.”

I loved that this book didn’t shy away from difficult discussions. Izzy asks questions about her aunt’s death by suicide that I expect would be typical of any child trying to understand and I thought her mother’s answers were quite sensitive and age appropriate. I appreciated that grief wasn’t one size fits all in this book; each character responds to loss in their own way.

I did have a problem with one aspect of the discussion surrounding suicide. I’m not sure how others will feel about this and perhaps I’m being overly sensitive but I was wary of the discussion of the method used. While all of the details are not revealed enough were that I wondered about the wisdom of their inclusion.

Given the subject matter this could have been a devastating book but it was ultimately hopeful, with a focus on the children supporting one another and becoming family.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the opportunity to read this book.

Based on the book's page on NetGalley, Someone Else's Shoes was meant to be a about suicide prevention and metal health but, honestly, I think they failed to portray that well in the story. All we got was a glimpse; it was never fully discussed and dealt with. Instead this book is about children coping with issues they have with their single parents, such as the possibility that their mom or dad could get involved with somebody else eventually. It's also about how kids may feel invisible and would do unusual things to stand out and be noticed. But most of all, it's the story of finding friends and families in the unlikeliest of people.

I was halfway through the book before I got to the promised problem in the synopsis and Uncle Henderson (finally!) went missing. The search for him was a fun and very brave adventure, I admit. It was reckless and almost impossible, but who am I to judge? I've never attempted one like it.

The character's issues could have been more diverse. Both cousins were struggling with their parents, their dads in particular; Oliver's dad was mourning his wife's suicide thus neglecting his son most of the time, while Izzy's has a new family and so she was feeling neglected as well. There's also Ben, Dr. Gustino's son, who also has his own reasons to rebel against his dad who's dating Izzy's mother.

What I liked best is that the author smoothly developed the characters and their relationships with each other. The three children matured very well along the way and began to understand things differently, seeing the goodness that wasn't apparent at first.

Despite all the things I wish was improved, I really enjoyed this book. Do I recommend it? Yes, definitely!

Not sure why I waited so long to read this thoroughly enjoyable middle grade read by author Eileen Wittlinger. With a charismatic 12 yr old protagonist named Izzy and a multitude of real life struggles teens and preteens face with family and friends, “Someone Else’s Shoes” hits it out of the park with authentic character voice and meaningful plot points. Focusing on issues of bullying and suicice is never easier but Wittlinger offers a sensitive yet realistic portrayal of how these issues impact not only those directly involved but also those feeling the emotional waves that unrelenting move outwards for the source.

Highly recommend.

ARC provided via NetGalley

I love books that tackle the hard topics. While I am a strong fantasy/sci-fi reader, realistic fiction that is actually real is hard to come by, especially for middle grade readers. People always kind of forget about them.

The different family dynamics, and subject matter (suicide) is hard stuff to write about and deliver in a way that students this age would understand. The telling of this story is not neat and pretty. It's messy a little rough and dark. Izzy, Oliver, and Ben really put together the story of what it sometimes can be like for children living with different and hard circumstances like this.

I applaud this book so very much and recommend it.

It's always a really good idea as a teacher to provide books in student's hands that allow them to see into someone else's life aka walk in someone else's shoes. Especially noticing, students experiencing issues, life changes, feeling like an outcast, always seem to find one another. This story helps understand that need for company during hard times in your life.

I thought this book did an excellent job at making you think and consider life from different perspectives. Young People need books like this to help them relate as nuclear families are becoming increasingly rare. Good Read.

Wow. Heavy topics....but they are skilfully dealt with in ways that make the reader think. Wittlinger adds lightness in the form of Izzy. There's a lot that this book does right for middle grade readers.

The 2019/2020 school year is beginning and I am so looking forward to having this on the shelf. Actually, I should say off the shelf as I know it will be out more than it is in.

Although I had a copy of this book to preview, I kept putting it off because the problems faced by the various characters seemed overwhelming. However, when I finally started reading, I quickly was drawn into the lives of Izzy, Oliver and Ben. They are dealing with difficult situations - divorce, blended families, a boy known as a bully, a mother who committed suicide and a father sinking deeper and deeper into depression. But what comes through more strongly are the deep family ties that grow between the three kids on their road trip adventure. Heavy, yes, but filled with love and hope. Recommended for ages 10 and up.

This book is a heavy read. It is well written. The story and characters are well written and developed. I really liked Izzy and her story drew me in.

I think the book gives a realistic picture of the life of teenagers today. I think the way the kids with hard stories gravitate to each other is reality. I enjoyed this book despite the heaviness of the material. I think this story will help to develop higher levels of empathy.

The publisher provided an ARC through Netgalley. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts

It took a while to get into this book, but once I did, I wanted to see how the characters solved their problems. Each of the 3 kids had a different major parental problem to overcome, but working together they made progress and helped each other. I like this book and will recommend it to my students.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library collection and will recommend it to students.

How often do you see a book about a young female budding comedian? Not enough if you ask me. This was a good realistic fiction book, that allows readers to see some pretty sad situations.

A heart-warming story that tugs at your heartstrings. It handles difficult topics with sensitivity. You grow to love the characters.

Ellen Wittlinger's novel The Long Night of Leo and Bree was one of the first books I ever read in one sitting. She captured the tension, the sympathy, the general feeling of unease, all in a few hundred pages. I was captivated and eager to try her middle-grade. This story is also heavy and doesn't stray away from mental health conversations. And though neither books are easy read, Ellen Wittlinger proves that she can handle the tough subjects with deft hands. An important read.