Image Credit: Craig Orbach, LEE and LOW Books
Lately, the local TV station and newspapers have been showing stories about homeless camping out — literally in tents — along the creek banks right in the middle of our city.
I did some work at a Catholic charity recently, where there was a steady flow of people coming in to pick up food baskets and warm clothes.
Perhaps you or your spouse has been laid off, or perhaps your kids have questions about why they see Occupy Wall Street protesters on the news each night.
Aimed at second or third grade reading level, this picture book is a great way to start discussions among elementary school aged-kids. The main character, Tim, wishes he had a skateboard like his friend’s. After seeing a homeless man dig through trash cans in search of recycling, Tim wonders whether he might also be able to earn some money doing the same thing. The story is presents homelessness and unemployment in a very frank way, balanced with a hopeful — yet decidedly non-treacly — message about generosity.
The Can Man is definitely a book to share with your kids as we head toward Thanksgiving.
You can read more about the making of The Can Man at the LEE and LOW website.
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A copy of The Can Man was provided to me by LEE and LOW Books, but the opinions expressed are all my own.
grace, thanks for keeping an eye out for blasian stories. just curious, who are the black-asian characters? because if this book is about an asian kid and a black homeless guy — then my hackles are going up. i know that’s not fair when i haven’t read the story. but what do you think? you’ve read the book. do the characters play to stereotypes?
Good question, Betty. I’d be irked if the book played to racial stereotypes, too. Actually, in the book, the mom and dad are Asian and Black. The main character is mixed-race.
And the homeless guy is White.
I like how the family is mixed and how it’s seamlessly integrated into the book. The story has a good lesson for kids, too.
I felt the same. It was nice to see a mixed race family but the book was more about the lesson the young boy learned. Which is how life should be right? Not so much about what race our families are but what lesson are being taught. :)