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32 pp.
| Eerdmans |
September, 2001 |
TradeISBN 0-8028-5181-9$$17.00
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tim Ladwig.
Desperate for customers one cold December during the Depression, a homeless shoeshine man nonetheless takes pity on a tattered young boy, by first giving him his hat, then his gloves, and finally a homemade toy and a free shine. The story takes a religious turn at the end, when the boy is revealed to be a manifestation of the Christ child. The watercolor and acrylic illustrations, which play with perspective, emphasize the sentimental tone of the tale.