A charming and delightful JYA book about a homeless family and a homeless man who learn about the importance of family, home, and opening your heart to strangers. Lovely illustrations as well. ( )

This is a story of a homeless man named Armand who was perfectly happy being homeless. Armand was not a big fan of children until he discovered three of them living under his bridge with their mother and their dog. He then grew rather fond of the children, and began to love them just as if they were his own family.

I really liked this book because it paints a vivid picture of what it is like to be homeless. I think is is very important for children to understand how very fortunate they are to have a roof over their heads, and not just take it for granted. I also loved how Armand loved children by the end of the story. This shows how children can touch the heart in ways he never thought.

In the classroom I would have the children bring blankets and pillows from home to use while we read the story. We might also go outside to read so that the children get a taste of what it is like to have to sleep outside.

This book is about a homeless man named Armand who lives on the streets of Paris, he soon befriends some children and their mother when he discovers them living in his spot under the bridge. Armand is very happy being a hobo, but starts to change his way of thinking after the children have warmed his heart. He takes the children on scenic adventures and soon wins over the respect of the children’s mother.

This book was so wonderful, I loved every detail and aspect from beginning to end, the story was just absolutely a great read, one that was not easy to put down until finished. It was so heartwarming and touching; the author did such a fantastic job of relating the events to actual real-life events, and did it in a way that was so honest and eye opening. The author wrote with such emotion and great detail that it was almost as if she had been in the shoes of a homeless person before, the descriptions and reactions that the characters had were so life-like, a perfect example of contemporary realistic fiction. The illustrations were nice too, there weren’t too many, but sufficient for the story.

For my class project, I would have an open discussion about the story, what the students have learned from the story and why they think the subject of homelessness is important for us to be aware of. I would definitely have to bring in some sheets and blankets for the students to lie on while I was reading the story, to relate to how the characters laid on their covers. Another fun activity would be for me to fix soup for snack time, to relate to Armand and the children and their mother when they eat soup at the gypsy camp. I would also like to have the students to write in their journals about how they would help a homeless person, for example, donate clothes, volunteer at a homeless shelter, maybe passing out silverware at the soup kitchen, etc., just to get an idea of what personal impact the reading has made on each student.

Armand is a homeless man, quite content with his lot in life, he roams the streets of Paris, pushing around an old baby buggy containing his early possessions. He sleeps under a bridge and is quite accustomed to the cold.

He discovers a homeless family consisting of a mother, three children and their dog who are camped in his space under the bridge. While initially Armand is reluctant to help, the children warm their way into his heart and he travels with them as together they find a happy ending.

While the subject matter is difficult, the story is told in a light, breezy way. Overall, the book is not as in depth as many other YA books I've read this year.

A poor family who live under a bridge find a better home.