Fiction - African American, General & Miscellaneous Holidays, Fiction - Holidays & Festivals, Fiction - Religion & Beliefs, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Fiction - Family Life

An Angel Just Like Me

Name: An Angel Just Like Me
Author: Mary Hoffman
ISBN: 9781845077334

by Mary Hoffman, Cornelius Van Wright (Illustrator), Ying-Hwa Hu

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Overview

"Grace is an amazing girl and this is an amazing book," said School Library Journal about Mary Hoffman's best-selling Amazing Grace. Now the author brings us a unique Christmas story, perfect for today s diverse society. When Tyler's family needs a new Christmas tree angel, Tyler has a lot of questions: Why do they all have gold hair? he asks. And why are they always pink? Aren't there any black angels? Tyler makes it his special project to find a new angel for his family s tree one that looks like him. But it's not until Christmas day that Tyler finds out that angels, just like people, can come in all different colors. With an inspiring text and festive illustrations, An Angel Just Like Me is a heartwarming holiday story, ideal for family sharing.

An African-American child wonders why all Christmas tree angels look alike and sets out to find an angel that looks just like him.

Synopsis

When Tyler's family needs a new angel for the Christmas tree, he finds one that looks just like himself.

Children's Literature

Tyler's family is preparing to decorate their Christmas tree but the angel is broken. The boy wonders why angels are always blond and white. Why can't there be An Angel Just Like Me. Tyler's African American family try to find a unique angel but to no avail. He decides that a star will suffice. But Christmas stories must have happy endings and this one provides the perfect solution. The full-color paintings depict people who could be from your own family. Their emotions show. Tyler's question is legitimate. Do all angels have to look alike?

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Deborah Zink Roffino

Why do store-bought angels all have golden hair and pink faces? Young Tyler searches every corner of the town for a brown-faced cherub to adorn the top of his Christmas tree in this warm, family story. Confection colored double-page paintings display all the excitement of the weeks before Christmas.

Children's Literature - Jan Lieberman

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--As Tyler, an African-American boy, and his family decorate their Christmas tree, he asks why all the angels are girls with golden hair and pink skin and never black boys. His parents don't know. He decides to go out every day after school and look for an angel like himself but has no success. Frustrated, he asks the mall Santa, whom he recognizes as the young art student who sometimes baby-sits for Tyler's family, but Carl doesn't know the answer. Then, after the family looks at the Nativity scene at the Christmas Eve service, Tyler wants to know why baby Jesus doesn't look Jewish. His parents can't answer that question, either. On Christmas morning, however, he finds a package with a beautifully carved angel that looks just like him. When he goes to thank Carl for the gift, he asks for a special favor. His Asian, Hispanic, and other friends all want special angels, too. The story is skillfully and sweetly written, and its point is well taken. Radiant watercolors painted in an idealized realistic technique and arranged in double-page spreads show an attractive family in a comfortable home. A thoughtful holiday selection with a theme that can be appreciated all year round.--Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA