Long doesn’t want to go to school. Not today. Not ever. Everything in this new country feels strange; the smells, the sounds, the words that dance too fast to catch. But when Long tucks himself between the roots of an old schoolyard tree, memory and imagination carry him home to Vietnam, where Grandma’s worn sandals sit waiting by the back door.
 
With Tree’s gentle encouragement, Long realises he hasn’t lost his old world; it lives within him. That night, with a handmade hot air balloon crafted from paper, glue, and string resting beside his bed, Long dreams he’s floating high above two worlds. He smells grilled corn and eucalyptus, hears magpies warbling and phở bubbling. Beneath him, rooftops stitch his past and present together.
 
The next day is Harmony Day. Long wears his traditional áo dài and walks into a celebration bursting with music, bright colours, and food from all around the world. His family brings Vietnamese spring rolls, still warm from the kitchen and he feels a sense of belonging. Long watches the children laugh and run, and when he lets go of his tiny paper hot air balloon, it drifts on the breeze and draws curious eyes. A smile becomes a bridge and Long begins to feel seen. Soon, he realises that laughter sounds the same in every language.
 
Grandma’s Shoes is a lyrical, emotionally resonant picture book for readers aged 5–11. Told through the eyes of a young Vietnamese boy on his first days in a Perth school, it gently explores themes of identity, courage, and connection. Inspired by the real experiences of migrant and refugee students, this story gives voice to children with lives between worlds.
 
Inspired by the lived experiences of migrant and refugee children, it explores themes of identity, memory, and belonging. This story gently honours every child navigating the space between two worlds.
 
Perfect for Harmony Day celebrations, identity and wellbeing units, or bedtime reading, Grandma’s Shoes offers both comfort and conversation, reminding children that they don’t have to let go of where they come from to find their place in the world.