MIM's Christmas Jam

It's 1915 and Pap is working on the new subway in New York, keeping him from his family on Christmas. His wife, Mim, and children, Saraleen and Royce, miss him very much, so they make and send him some of the family's traditional holiday recipe - Belly-hum jam. This jam is so good, Pap is able to use it to sweeten the sour attitudes of the foremen, Mr. Mead and Mr. Evans, who send the men home to celebrate with their families. Luckily for us readers, the recipe follows the story. Once again the Pinkneys have brought us a wonderful, meaningful story, this one a touching holiday tale. The scratchboard illustrations are beautiful. I always look for new books by this family of authors and illustrators to add their work to my school library's collection.