book cover

Worry Boots

by Lisa Thompson, illustrated by Aysha Awwad

Interest age: 3 to 6
Reading age: 7+

Published by Scholastic, 2024

  • Picture books

About this book

It’s Connie’s first day of school and she’s decided to wear her shiny, new red boots.

As she and Mum head to the bus stop, she notices something strange and lumpy in her boot. What if it’s a terrifying T-Rex? She can’t possibly go to school with a dinosaur in her boot - everyone will stare at her. Mum reassures Connie and all of a sudden, the funny feeling vanishes.

But as they continue on their journey to school, Connie’s imagination runs wild and she worries more and more. What if that spiky feeling is a grumpy unicorn or a scary shark? What will the other children think? 

When they finally reach Connie’s new classroom, Connie’s tummy is full of big, big worries but Mum knows just what to do to help shrink her fears. Maybe school won’t be as bad as she thought. 

With all the excitement of starting school comes an enormous amount of worry, too. Worry Boots is a great book to share with children just starting reception or moving school or class. It provides lots of talking opportunities about emotions and making positive choices to deal with difficult emotions such as fear and anxiety. 

Aysha Awwad’s beautiful, inclusive illustrations brilliantly depict how Connie's imagination is running wild, helping children to really visualise the worries she is having. A funny, reassuring story about dealing with nerves and worry. 

About the author

Lisa Thompson is a children’s novelist and the author of the best-selling The Goldfish Boy and The Light Jar. The Goldfish Boy was a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, the Branford Boase Award and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She lives in Suffolk with her family.

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