Um, wow. I don’t know any kids with a particular thing about donkeys. I mean, they’re not like dinosaurs or horses or robots or other cool things like that. But I suppose if you do happen to have a kid whose every item of clothing must be adorned with donkey ears, these woolenstocks Little Kid/Big Kid Donkey Woogo Slipper Boots would be just the thing to solve the tricksy footwear question.

Captions? Excuses? Donkey stories (keep them clean, please; we are a family blog, yo).

Today’s shoes are brought to you by Wham-O!  Yes, the same company that brought you hula hoops and frisbees now brings you the newest in shoe technology based on the Super Ball.

Yes, you read that right.

It seems that Stride Rite, not being content to let Nike and New Balance get the lion’s share of air-cushioning/levitating fame, is now featuring kid’s shoes with Super Balls in the heels.  Well, of course not really the actual balls, but the synthetic material dubbed Zectron by the inventor that was used in their making.

Original Super Balls from 1965-66 were able to be dropped from a building and would bounce almost all the way back up.   If thrown down, it would exceed the height of the building on the way back up.  I find that both awesome and scary.  Sadly, there are hardly any Super Balls left in the world, although there are many imitators.

But now, your kids can have that very same material on their feet! Imagine the damage they could do on the basketball court!

Do you think it’s just a bunch of hype, or might there be something to this Zectron stuff after all?

Stride Rite – SuperBall Zoom

Stride Rite – Superball Quick Close (Toddler/Youth)

Oh yes, it’s that time again. It seems like it’s been forever since I posted a poll, and I had to go back and remind myself exactly what I had asked in the last one. It seems that fifty-four percent of you think that celebrities receive special treatment during the adoption process. I’m going to have to agree with the majority, although if you really think about it, being the child of an international superstar isn’t exactly easy.

As for today’s question, I was prompted by the warm weather we’ve been experiencing in my neck of the woods. It’s supposed to be nearing eighty degrees today. So, I’m curious as to your fashion judgement of a certain ubiquitous staple of warm weather footwear. You get to be the judge! And jury! Exult in the power!

I found this list of etiquette rules on Oprah.com the other day, and I was fine until I got to number five. Polite on the phone? Check. Thank-you notes? Check. Working outside-in at a fancy dinner set up? Check.

But number five is a bit of a puzzler.

5. Shoes Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your shoes are well-maintained. People associate the way you take care of your shoes with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.

Now here in the Manolosphere, I am not about to suggest that shoes are unimportant. I think I might be fired or something.  But is the state of a teenager’s shoes considered a breach of etiquette? For many teenagers, wearing funky and possibly worn shoes is a badge of honor. It’s a tiny form of rebellion, and I’m not sure that if I were an “expert” making a list to be featured on Oprah.com for millions of people to see, that I would choose that particular fight.

She must have a young person in her life that has shoes she disapproves of.  Actually, I can’t remember the last time I saw a young person with old, torn shoes.  These days they tend to have nicer shoes than I do. 

But something I do see all the time?

I think my number five rule would have been:

5. Belts Are Important
When getting dressed each day, be sure that your pants don’t find their way to your ankles. People associate being able to see your underwear with the way you handle detail in the rest of your life.

What would have been your number five?

Baby feet are simply irresistible, aren’t they? The tiny toes, the little pink heels. Most of the time, I just want to nom on them because they are just so durn cute.

So why in the world would you encase those adorable feet in something as craptastic as these booties from the, uh, interestingly named company “Yo My Booties?”

It’s an interesting marketing strategy they’ve got going. They’ve named their company in cool faux urban-speak in the hopes that some sleep and/or caffiene deprived mother will look at these electric blue monstrosities and hope that other people will think they look cool.

I assure you, they do not. “Pimpalicious” is never a term you want applied to your baby’s footwear.

WTF indeed! This bizarre, disturbing image provided the inspiration to some of the best commentation we’ve seen around these parts in some time. Sadly, just as one one train can get to the station first, only one winner can be declared, and here she is:

class factotum Says:
February 27th, 2009 at 10:20 am

Miko learned later that this was not what “pulling a train” meant.

Congratulations and imaginary swag to class factotum! And what shall we present for the hypothetical prize for this week? Well, several possibilities presented themselves, each greater than the last, but finally we settled on something we think appropriate: The Valentino Cage Sandal, reminiscent of the delicate tracery of overhead trolley wires.

Polliwalks “Fish Lips,” perfect for the kid with a Jonas complex.

We here at Teeny Manolo often look at the search terms that land people on the site. I recently saw one that requested “what shoes make a boy looks cool?”

Here you are, my anonymous friend. From skate shoes to sandals to dress shoes, I’ve got them all.

Circa Kids – Lopez 50K (Toddler/Youth) I love the color combinations on this very cool skate shoe. Tons and tons of positive reader reviews on this as well. Along with a great price, these shoes are winners all around!

Merrell Kids – Mesa Z-Rap Waterproof (Toddler/Youth) These highly rated waterproof shoes will have him ready to face any kind or terrain or weather!

Puma Kids – 917 Lo V (Toddler/Youth), I really like the colors and styling of this low-profile shoe, especially the T-toe.

Skechers Kids – Airators – Supercharger (Toddler/Youth) I can’t include a list of boys’ shoes without having Skechers. My own son wears Skechers and loves them. He finds them very comfortable, which for him is saying a lot.

Tsukihoshi Kids – Euro (Toddler/Youth) This shoe has some of the highest ratings of any kids’ shoe on Zappos. Great styling and construction make this shoe a popular choice.

Teva Kids – Toachi (Toddler/Youth) I chose this shoe because of it’s unusual construction, which is something between a sandal and a sneaker. The closed toe is one of the best features of this shoe.

Bass Kids – Exeter(Toddler/Youth) You can’t go wrong with this classic dress shoe. It’s on sale, too!

Vincent – Fredrik (Infant/Toddler/Youth) Contrast stitching, water repellent upper, and breathable mesh lining combine with sleek styling give this shoe a five-star rating.

adidas Kids – Akwah IV K (Toddler/Youth) While this may not win any beauty contests, this shoe is comfortable and very reasonably priced for tons of fun on the beach.

Sperry Kids – Colton/a> (Youth) Another classic, the slip-on pennyloafer.

Vans Kids – Rowley (Youth) Vans have made a comeback in a big way. Have your kid rock the ramp with some of the best skate shoes around!