Simon & Schuster Australia is thrilled to announce their partnership with Good360 to donate books to children in need. This partnership kicks off with the upcoming release of a very special children’s book, The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival (5 June 2024), which explores the experience of child poverty in a sensitive and relatable way. Suited for middle grade readers, this book contains Percival’s iconic illustrations and a story full of heart and hope.

A hit at Bologna Children’s Book Fair, The Wrong Shoes has sold in five languages with more deals to come, and the overriding feedback from editors was relief that someone is talking about this urgent problem with young people. There has already been incredible retailer engagement and support for this title from booksellers, including its selection as a national chain’s children’s book of the month for June. For every copy sold, Simon & Schuster Australia will donate a free book to a child in need living in Australia.

Good360 connects charities, schools and society’s most vulnerable with businesses willing to donate unsold or surplus goods, services, and disaster recovery essentials. Their mission is to ensure the excess goods and services businesses produce every year flow to people in need rather than going to waste. The result is a circle of good that reduces both need and waste in our communities at the same time, so that everyone benefits – from people to our planet.

Jade Wood, Children’s and Mass Market Sales Director at Simon & Schuster Australia, says ‘When I learned how Good360 helps vulnerable families and supports sustainability, I just knew this would be the perfect partnership. It’s imperative that families who are doing it tough don’t miss out on essentials like books and we can’t wait to work with Good360 on The Wrong Shoes launch. We will continue to share free books with their connections well into the future.’

In addition to bookmarks and digital assets for retailers, teacher’s notes and lesson plans will also be available for educators, classrooms and librarians. To download the teachers notes, click here