Welcome. You are about to step into an Asian home. But before you do. . . please remove your shoes.

Slippers are allowed. Socks and bare feet, too. You may have always taken off your shoes before stepping into a home, or it may be new to you. But have you ever stopped to wonder why it is a common practice to take off your shoes in Asian households?

Richard Ho explains the custom, which spans across cultures and generations, in his thoughtful, richly layered text that is excellent for reading aloud. Xuân Lan’s playful artwork showcases a variety of Asian cultures and introduces a young cat to lead readers on a journey through time and place.

Along with the curious cat, readers will:

• Visit an ancient Chinese village, an historic Korean classroom, a modern Japanese dining room, and many more places.
• Honor the cultures and traditions of the Asian diaspora.
• Celebrate our feet, which work so hard every day.
• Learn more from the author’s note and visual glossary providing further details about each culture’s customs.