Author Description

Deanna Ochs discovered a knack for relating to children as a park ranger on the shores of Lake Michigan. There, she could often be found leading packs of school kids over the dunes while calling out chants, raps, and songs that captured their imaginations and brought the natural world to life. As a park ranger, Deanna also found a passion for nature writing. Whether creating for children or adults, her uncommon and intimate writing style connected readers to the magic of the dunes in new and meaningful ways. Deanna's skills earned her two prestigious awards in the field of nature interpretation. Each day, the tattered pair of shoes, waiting in the closet, watches the young girl reach past them for a beautiful new pair. As they sadly recall many fond days with the child, the little pair wonders if they are no longer good enough. They chastise themselves for not keeping their laces tied. (Oh, but they so love to leave them loose!) The shoes promise, if they are ever picked again, to keep their laces tied tightly and run faster and jump higher than ever. One day they feel a tender hand grab hold and lift them up. Much like real life, however, what happens next in the story isn't exactly what the little pair expected. Children will instantly relate to the shoes' predicament and connect deeply with their joys, fears, and longings. Young readers will recognize themselves in the pair's earnest desire to please and their need to be loved--just the way they are.