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The Can Man

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

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.

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      March 29, 2010
      In Williams's (The Best Winds
      ) poignant story, Tim wants a skateboard badly, but money is tight. Watching a homeless man everyone calls the Can Man (except Tim's parents, who remember when he used to live in their building and still call him by name) collect cans to redeem for cash, Tim decides to do the same to bankroll his skateboard. As he encroaches on the man's turf, Tim suppresses flashes of guilt—especially when the man says he hopes to buy a new coat “before the snow starts flying.” After the Can Man offers his shopping cart to help Tim transport his cans to the redemption center, the boy hands him the money he's made. In an emotional final scene, Tim receives a skateboard that the Can Man has refurbished and personalized for him. Orback's (Hot Pursuit: Murder in Mississippi
      ) realistic oil paintings on canvas bring the tale's urban setting into clear focus in warmly lit scenes that illuminate the characters' feelings—notably Tim's unease and his beneficiary's gratitude—and readily transmit the weighty themes at work. Ages 5–10.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • PDF ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:3.4
  • Lexile® Measure:630
  • Interest Level:K-3(LG)
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

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