This was an excellent book to use in my 4th grade class for read aloud. It had developed, believable characters and a great plot. We used it for predicting and the story left us many opportunities to make inferences. We can all identify with the character of Meg and her struggles to make her life seem normal with a stressful home and a special needs brother. There were many opportunities to make personal connections with the story. The book also has a tremendous ending that left some students, and myself, with tears in our eyes because we were so touched. The theme defintely helps us look at ourselves to figure out what is really important about Christmas which was very good for all my students since they come from very difficult backgrounds. All could relate to and see what was really important. Each student loved this book and so did I.

The book A Real Christmas This Year is probably the best book I have ever read. It's about a girl who's brother is mentaly challenged. She thinks he's going to ruin christmas. This is a really good book.

This was a very enjoyable book, particularly good to read during the Christmas holidays. It puts things into perspective. It gives kids insight into the difficulties families experience when a family member is disabled.

I just attended a talk by a Peace Corps volunteer who spoke about how children in Ghana were resourceful about creating toys to play with. This book illlustrates that point. I hope that my students from Africa will enjoy this book.

Galimoto provides a unique opportunity for teachers to link reading, cultural understanding and visual art. Young students enjoy trying to discover the meaning of "galimoto" while they hear the story as it is read aloud. The illustrations help them to see the similarities in the everyday lives of children and people everywhere. All people make art! Young children can use pipe cleaners to make their own "galimotos" after they learn the meaning from the story. The story and illustrations held the interest of my students and encouraged them toward future learning through reading and making art.

I love this book.It is very interesting and fun to read. The charcters in this book show the meaning of a true freind ship. I read this book and I couldn't put it down.

My daughter and I were simply delighted with this book, and we are voracious readers of tales from foreign lands. For the protagonist, a little American boy born in Africa, Africa is not another place, a foreign country, but the home that he knows and loves, described poignantly through the eyes of a child. It is the USA that is foreign and strange to him, although he acclimates with a sort of resigned acceptance. I won't spoil it by telling the end; I can only say that I hope you and your children enjoy it as much as we did.

Thomas Sullivan provides a clear, consise, and easy to use reference guide for anyone to use. This book not only contains actual text of some major environmental laws, but it also sites case studies and court decisions, all in an easy to read format. This book is a must for anyone dealing in environmental matters, and is a good source of reference for anyone concerned with the environment and public policy.

This is a sweet little book. The illustrations are beautiful watercolors with lots of detail that will appeal to young inquisitive eyes. (I know because I tested it on my favorite three year old.) The story is a simple one of a trip to market and a more interesting trip back to the village. A story of wanting, of responsibility, and of reward. I think books that share even a glimpse of another culture to our American children are very valuable. This book could raise many important questions in children who have no concept of being so poor you must walk everywhere you go. It offers that glimpse without being harsh in anyway. As I said, its sweet and yet one notices our main characters have no shoes for their feet. The writing is beautiful and reads well out loud. It is a simple enough story that most third graders can read it for themselves. Its also informative for adults. Now I know why the Haitian jitney is called a Tap-Tap. Tap-Tap gets a high recommendation.

This book is a good read for kids who like stories on what it's like to be a kid. Julie is a kid who's not the brightest in her class and who seems, at first glance, to have few outstanding talents. She isn't good at reading and spelling, and her sister puts her down all the time for being "stupid". Julie desperately wants to find one thing to be good at. Things turn around for her when a family crisis erupts and Julie comes to realize that she is good at something: teaching. She taught her brother to dial 911 in an emergency and it saved her father's life; every day she teaches people how to play marbles at school. I give this one a 3 because although it is lively and gets the point across, everything is resolved a bit too quickly. For a realization like Julie's to have greater impact, there needs to be even more examples of her teaching skill. Still, the book is fast-paced and interesting, and kids can easily identify with Julie and the need to be good at something. Definitely a must for kids who are learning to handle chapter books!