Tight Times

Tight Times is about a young boy dealing with the difficulties and hardships that come with a family losing a job and income, with a youthful and incomplete understanding of why things aren't the way they were before. His parents respond "Tight times" when he asks about the bulk cereal, the soup instead of roast, playing in the sprinkler instead of at the lake, and other omissions and substitutions.

I can relate to this book. When I was a little kid I was eating meat paste sandwiches and huddling around a kerosene heater with my mom and brother in an unheated house. Being a broke kid informed a lot of my worldview as I got older, and having other kids make fun of my off-brand shoes has made me question consumerist culture.

I also enjoy show more Trina Schart Hyman's beautiful and sketchy illustrations. She makes the family's house look cozy, warm and homey. She depictes their exasperation, happiness, closeness, and sadness with excellent characterization and facial and bodily language.

I think this book would be useful in the classroom to get students talking about hardship and poverty and thinking about its causes. Some classroom discussion on whether it's fair for some people in our society to have less than they need to live normally would be interesting. show less

Back in the day we took in stray cats. Everyone did. We tried to dig up the money to get them fixed, but if we couldn't we kept them inside as much as possible. We fed them bargain food and water and scraps. And that was it. And that is what this struggling, but loving, family did. It may not seem responsible now, but it's better than throwing it back in the trash can where it was found. And yes, this family will recover, and this little child will develop resilience, patience, and compassion.

And of course the art is amazing. Hyman, gosh, I just can't get enough of her work.

I got this out of the library because it's illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, one of my all-time favorites. The story is fairly mundane, but Hyman's magic is still evident, particularly in the random gypsy lady walking down the sidewalk.

What a depressing book! That being said I think only adults will find it truly depressing. Children may find it relatable as it's told from the point of view of the little boy, but I doubt they'll see the true sadness behind the story. I almost cried reading this...it's about a little boy who wants a dog, so he asks his parents for one. They tell him no, because of tight times. Although I don't think the little boy understands exactly what tight times are he accepts that he can't have a dog. Then daddy loses his job, and times get tighter. The little boy is sent to sit outside while his parents have a talk. While outside he finds a stray cat and brings him inside. His parents agree that he can keep the cat on the condition that he stops show more pestering them for a dog. He names the cat Dog. I don't think I could read this book to kids without crying. show less

This early reader gently introduces poverty and unemployment to the young reader around a story about a little boy who very much wants a dog of his own. He learns that he cannot always get exactly what he wants but love and compromise often bring something just as good in the form of a skinny little kitten found in a garbage can. This is also a story about empathy and families and beings pulling together. The father sets a wonderful example for his son by taking in the homeless kitten who had no place to go even though times were tight and a pet was not in the budget. It is a story about family, hope, and survival together.

This is a book about a little boy whose parents are in the midst of a financial struggle. The boy wants to get a dog, but his dad says he can't because of tight times. In the middle of the book, the boy is with his babysitter and his dad comes home in the middle of the day. It turns out he lost his job. His parents send him out to sit on the stoop while they talk about what happened. While he's outside, he finds a cat in a trash can. His parents say that he can keep the cat as long as he doesn't ask for a dog anymore. He decides to name the cat "Dog."
This book shows the opposite perspective of most of the other books in my collection. It tells a story about parents going through hardships and the child being in a supportive role, even show more if they don't really understand what's going on. It also illustrates the importance of compromise. The boy accepts that he can't have a dog "because of tight times," so he names his cat Dog as a compromise. show less

This story made me sad. It is about a family facing financial difficulties. This book gives the message that even though you may experience tough times, family will always be there for you. Some students may be able to relate to the story. The story can help children realize that it is important to not be selfish. I enjoyed this book.