Frances is concerned about the organ grinder man who stands on the street corner. Is he cold? Where does he go at night? She can’t invite him home, but she can still show hospitality.
*Great Joy, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Candlewick, 2007. 32 pages.
- Reading Level: Picture book, ages 4-8
- Recommended For: Ages 4-8
A little girl named Frances sees an organ grinder man out her window and wonders where he goes at night. Her mother is too busy to be concerned about him, but Frances can’t forget.
He’s cold. She sees that he has nowhere to go, and she can’t invite him to come in for dinner because he is a stranger. (There is no indication of a father in the home, so this precaution is understandable.)
But there is one place Frances can invite the organ grinder man and his monkey, and she does not hesitate to do so: she invites him to the Christmas program at church.
The final words of the story are perfect. Nothing more needs to be said. But the last beautiful page spread shows that there’s a warm, hospitable story beyond the close of the back cover.
Bottom Line: A book worth adding to your Christmas picture book collection or looking for at your library.
Overall Rating: 4.75
- Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.5
- Worldview Rating: 4.75
Remember, unless a book is starred, a review is not necessarily a recommendation. Read more about our ratings here.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Book Review: Home for Christmas
- Resource: Gladys Hunt on Longing for Home
- Book Review: The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo
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I love this book. Is the mom in the illustrations supposed to be modeled after Maureen O’Hara? She looks EXACTLY like her in Miracle on 34th Street.
Oh, that’s a good question! I’m sorry I don’t know the answer. I’ve only seen Miracle on 34th Street once, so I didn’t make that connection when I read Great Joy, but I wonder if she inspired Ibatouilline?