• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: k to 3

One can, two can. Who can? You can!
Using junk from the landfill site.
Rusty cans and wood and wire,
thrumming, strumming, day and night.

In this inventive new collection of verse, Sheryl and Simon Shapiro introduce readers to 13 everyday objects that have been ingeniously reimagined into something else altogether.

Color photographs of recycled objects are accompanied by lighthearted, jaunty poems in a variety of lengths and rhyming patterns. Kids will love identifying each reinvented item, and will marvel at how a shoe makes a great bird’s nest, how old tin cans make a guitar, or how a car can be transformed into a bed!

Complete with Francis Blake’s lively color illustrations, What Can You Do With Only One Shoe? will delight young readers while introducing the idea of recycling and repurposing in a new and innovative way.

Sheryl Shapiro is an art director and book designer for Annick Press. She has co-authored five children's books for Annick with her husband, Simon Shapiro. She lives in Toronto.

Sheryl Shapiro's profile page

When Sheryl and Simon Shapiro met over 35 years ago in South Africa (where they were born and grew up), they had very different interests. Simon had studied subjects like applied mathematics and physics, and worked as a computer programmer. Sheryl had studied print-making and oil painting and worked as an art teacher. Over the years, their lives—and their interests—changed. Simon took up photography as a hobby, learning about color and composition, and now loves visiting art galleries. Sheryl became an art director and book designer, and now spends all day, every day, using a computer.They have other things in common like enjoying music, movies, theater, reading, and spending time with their son Stephen who has written four books for Annick Press. They also discovered that they liked writing humorous rhymes for special occasions. When the opportunity came up to write a book together, they jumped at the chance.Their different abilities and different approaches made working on the book interesting. And there were many happy hours along the way. But they agree that working separately could never have produced the amusing mixtures book called Better Together (2011). Their second rhyming picture book, Slither Slide, What’s Outside? (2012) is a National Parenting Publications Awards, Honor Winner. Now they have written two picture books in verse that explore the concepts of shapes. Ladybugs Have Lots of Spots and Zebra Stripes Go Head to Toe (Fall 2013) combine vibrant photos and bouncy rhymes to introduce young children to the concept of shapes.Sheryl and Simon live in Toronto, Ontario.

Simon Shapiro's profile page

Francis Blake lives in London, United Kingdom.

Francis Blake's profile page

“… a poetry book that could lead to great discussions about recycling and reinventing items.”—Library Media Connection, 06/14

“… the funny poems and colourful cartoons will draw readers in …”—CM Reviews, 03/21/14

“Many of these way out ideas … should inspire young readers to invent ideas of their own.”—Resource Links, 06/14

“The writing and art are laced with humour and engaging to readers.”—Canadian Children’s Book News, 06/14

“Using lighthearted, fun rhymes and lively illustrations, What Can You Do With Only One Shoe? teaches kids the value of recycling and repurposing.”—Open Book Toronto, 04/16/14

“The ideas are useful … Even if they just get you started on “What could I do with that?” it’s worth the price of the book.”—Journey of a Bookseller, 05/23/14

“… a fun way to introduce recycling to young readers through colorful illustrations, fun pictures and whimsical poetry.”—Book Girl, 05/12/14