A Chance to Shine [With CD]

Joe, a homeless man, hangs out on a park bench in front of the store that a boy's father owns, and the boy cannot help but notice Joe's unkempt appearance, funny smell, and odd behavior. The boy is puzzled one day when his father asks Joe to sweep the sidewalk every morning in exchange for free meals. His father's response, "Every heart needs a chance to shine," makes more sense over time as the boy witnesses Joe's transformation into an autonomous, productive, and employed member of the community. This inspiring book, which is accompanied by a musical CD recording of the story, gets top marks for combining artistic creativity with a powerful economics lesson about extreme poverty and the path to economic self-sufficiency.

This book offers children and adults of all ages to experience first hand belonging, generosity, independence, and mastery. Its rhyming verses tell a story of a homeless man who was given a chance to shine by a family. It is told through the eyes of the child and is inspiring!