The Can Man

Charlotte Award, New York State Reading Association
Horace Mann Upstanders Children's Literature Award, Honor Book, Antioch University
Keystone to Reading Book Awards, Keystone State Reading Association
Show Me Readers Nominee, Missouri Association of School Librarians

To earn money, a young boy decides to collect and redeem empty soft drink cans, but ends up giving away his money to help a local homeless man.

Tim's birthday is just a week away, and more than anything he wants a skateboard. But money is tight, and Tim knows his family cannot afford to buy him a board.

As Tim ponders how he might earn money for a skateboard, he hears The Can Man down the street collecting empty soft drink cans. The clang of the cans in the homeless man's cart gives Tim an idea. He will collect cans too, and cash them in for the redemption money. By the end of the week, Tim has almost reached his goal-until a couple of chance encounters with The Can Man change everything.

Told with honesty and respect, this timely story shines a perceptive light on current social concerns. Readers will be encouraged to think beyond themselves and celebrate the simple acts of kindness and sharing that make a difference in people's lives.