An Orange for Frankie

As the Stowell family wait for Pa to return from Lansing with their Christmas oranges - family tradition dictates that each of them should receive one precious orange, purchased from the incoming Florida train, and placed all in a row on the fireplace mantel - they prepare for the coming holiday, sharing food with the many hobos who ride the rails past their Michigan farm, and seeking out the greens, and the "perfect" tree, with which to decorate the house. But when Pa - delayed by the weather - finally arrives, and the oranges are safely resting in their traditional place of honor, something terrible happens: Frankie, disobeying a direct order from his father, takes down his orange, and loses it! Will it really be Christmas without show more that special orange...?

Based upon a story related to Patricia Polacco by her grandmother, about one Christmas season when she herself was a young woman, An Orange for Frankie is another of the author's poignant and heartwarming family stories, made all the more appealing by its Christmas setting. The realities of the Depression era, and the poverty of the passing hobos, are contrasted with the generosity and love of the Stowell family, who share what they have. Frankie's gift of his best sweater, to an old man with no shirt, is in the true spirit of the season, as is his family's solution to the loss of his orange. I was struck by the fact that oranges - which many Americans take very much for granted, today - were a great luxury at that time, and found myself tearing up (not so unusual, with a Polacco book!) when reading the postscript, in which the reader learns that this memorable Christmas was Frankie's last.

It's a tragedy that such a wonderful little boy died so young (the details of his death are not given), but An Orange for Frankie is a moving tribute to him, keeping his memory alive through story. show less

Once again, Polacco weaves the wonderment of magic with another family-based story. This tale, handed down from Polacco's grandmother, tells of Frankie, a young member of the Stowell family. Living in Lansing, Michigan, times are tough in the depression era of the United States.

An orange, now an everyday staple in the average American diet, was once a rare and blessed thing. When Frankie's father travels via horse and buggy to meet the train from Florida to obtain the gift of precious oranges, as the snow piles high and the wind wipes round the farm house, Frankie's family fears their father will not return in a timely fashion.

I loved the images of a close-knit family preparing for the holiday in a simple, loving manner. While poor in show more resources, the family is rich in spirit and generosity and provides food for the hobos riding the train that passes through.

When Frankie sees a poor hobo who wears a thread-bare jacket, he gives him his special sweater knit previously by his sister as a present.

Celebrating when father returns home with the oranges, he cautions the family not to touch the oranges, but to place them on the mantel in the usual tradition. Overcome with joy, Frankie takes his orange with him to church that evening.

Sadly, when he returns he learns he lost the orange. Distraught, he cries and does not want to confess his deed. When the family learns that Frankie generously gave his sweater to a less fortunate man, they rally round him and each give one slice of their orange to Frankie, thus making a whole orange for Frankie.

Touching, inspirational, wonderful and magical, I loved this book. show less

Another great book, I'm really loving this author! I think I like her so much is because she uses her own personally family in her stories. This is a story about a boy name Frankie, who is from Michigan. He was the youngest of nine children in the Stowell family. Every Christmas his dad would drive a horse and buggy all the way to Lansing to get his children oranges and other materials they needed for Christmas. The rising action of this book is when Pa hasn’t return home yet with the oranges to decorate the mantle. The climax of this story is when the father returns from getting the oranges, and Frankie doesn’t listen to his father and take his orange to church that night. The resolution is this story is Frankie tells his family show more that he gave his sweater to the homeless man. They realized that Frankie helped someone in need out, they all took a slice of their orange and gave it to Frankie. At the end of this, Frankie had a whole orange. This book teaches lessons and is also a great story! show less

"An Orange for Frankie" is about the story of how, one Christmas, a Stowell family tradition is almost ruined because Frankie loses his orange from the mantel, but because of an act of kindness he made earlier, his siblings all decide to share a piece of their oranges with him so he can still have his own. "Kindness should always be rewarded" and "the love between family members is a bond stronger than most" serve as underlying themes throughout the book. The historical setting is a major aspect of the plot, for if this had been set in modern times, majority of the conflict present in the book wouldn't be a real problem. The setting being what it is the foundation of which the entire story is built upon, and it truly enhances the show more overall message the story produces- that family and kindness are two of the most rewarding things in life. show less

WOW!!! This book literally brought tears to my eyes! I love how kind and thoughtful Frankie was even though he was so young. He gave his favorite sweater to a hobo. Frankie also finally got to be the angel in the christmas pageant like he always wanted. When his father finally returned home with an orange for each of the nine kids in the family, Frankie was so excited. He couldn't wait to eat his orange, but he lost it. He cried and then he told his mother what had happened. He told her that he lost his orange and gave his sweater to a hobo. When he finally went downstairs all of his siblings gave one wedge in their orange to make an orange for Frankie. It was the best christmas of all! They all went to sleep and as Frankie's parents show more looked at Frankie sleep, they say he looked like an angel. They called it Frankie's christmas. This was Frankie's last christmas. This book speaks volumes. I love it sooooooo very much. Frankie may not have lived a long life but he lived his best life. show less

A family tradition for the Stowell family of placing oranges and greens on the family mantle at Christmas is the center of this story. The illustrations in the book give an idea as to what Christmas was like in the Stowell home, they also show compassion that the family has for each other. The book also shows the true meaning of the season not one mention of gifts being received is what I loved most about the holiday themed book. Frankie the main character is the youngest boy of nine siblings. Their father goes to get fresh Florida oranges every Christmas but this Christmas he takes longer than expected to return. While their father is away the Stowell family feeds hobos from the 628 train and Frankie secretly gives one of the men his show more nice warm sweater. Once Pa Stowell arrives home with the oranges they place them on the mantle all except for Frankie. Frankie loses his orange and feels horrible about what he has done. Mama Stowell finds out Frankie lost his orange and that he gave his sweater to a hobo. Mama Stowell tells Frankie that he has done a good thing and should not be feeling down about it. The family pulls together and makes Frankie an orange from each their orange peelings. This is the Christmas that they call “Frankie’s Christmas”. This book would serve as a good reminder to children of generosity and how to be humble especially around the holiday season. show less

Frankie, the youngest member of the Stowell family, is excited for Christmas, but there is one problem. Pa still has not returned from Lansing, so it could be Christmas without Pa and without oranges. Frankie and the Stowell family demonstrate both generosity, mercy, and forgiveness through this heart-warming story. Frankie was Polacco's grandmother's youngest brother, and this was the story of his last Christmas.