Ryan’s Review of the Writing

Jashar Awan’s Loops takes a seemingly small problem–a kid who keeps losing his lace-​up shoes–and treats it with exactly the appropriate amount of seriousness. We learn that these are “big-​kid shoes,” and that label matters. For this kid, tying them correctly equals competence and keeping them on equals growing up. So when they keep slipping off? Well, the frustration feels real.

The narration moves fast, swinging (looping?) between pride and panic, and it effectively invites the reader in (“Wanna see me tie them?”). The step-​by-​step lacing sequence is just playful enough without veering into textbook land. The inevitable wobble after the “TA-​DA!” lands well, too.

There’s a looping structure to the book that’s actually a true strength. The baked-​in repetition mirrors how kids actually build skills: try, mess up, try again. When the shoe goes missing (again), the meltdown feels earned. And the final twist is satisfying without over-​celebrating itself.

What works best is the emotional calibration. The book respects how big small setbacks feel. It lets the kid spiral for a moment, then regroup on his own terms. There’s no lecture about perseverance. Just a kid deciding he can handle big-​kid shoes after all.

Loops is compact, clever, and quietly affirming—a story about growing up that understands growth is rarely a straight path.

4.5 out of 5 shoelaces