A Chance to Shine

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years

• Grade Level: Preschool - 2

SUMMARY

Through the eyes of a young boy, readers meet Joe, a strange neighborhood man down on his luck.

One day, the boy's father makes Joe a deal: sweep the sidewalk each morning and he can count on his meals. From that day on, the boy begins to recognize changes in Joe.

Back at school the boy is inspired to interact with kids he used to ignore, and he realizes that Joe isn't the only one who's changed.

Seskin and Shamblin's lyrical first-person narrative blends seamlessly with Christie's lush acrylic and gouache illustrations in this story about an act of compassion that makes a big difference.The best-selling authors of DON'T LAUGH AT ME team up with Coretta Scott King Honor recipient R. Gregory Christie to show children that there are ways to overcome a first impression.

Based on a song, the book includes a CD recorded by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin plus an instrumental version for sing-alongs. Musical score included.

REVIEWS

“This powerful book would be a good choice to stimulate classroom discussions about helping, sharing, giving, understanding, and differences."—School Library Journal

“Christie's acrylic illustrations of the urban neighborhood and schoolyard. The black child first thinks the tramp is merely "weird and scraggly." Then the pictures humanize the vagrant through the boy's changing viewpoint.”—Hazel Rochman, American Library Association.