Mikey Mite's Best Present

Sylvia Pantaleo is an assistant professor of education specializing in
children’s literature at Queen’s University in Kingston.

Mikey’s father is an alcoholic. Mr. Lotecki, the janitor at Mikey’s
school, has been assisting Mikey’s father in overcoming his addiction.
However, Mr. Lotecki encounters his own problems when his Haitian
girlfriend experiences difficulties with immigration officials. It’s
the Christmas season and Mikey is worried that his father will be unable
to fulfil his commitments to the holiday celebrations, including taking
over Mr. Lotecki’s place as Santa Claus at the school-wide gift
exchange.

The gentle and sensitive story is narrated by Jenny, Mikey’s best
friend. Readers who have read the other books about Mikey will
understand Jenny’s nervousness about meeting Mikey’s father and
recognize the importance of Attila, the school guinea pig, spending
Christmas with Mikey. The bold, easy-to-read print and illustrations
provide an accessible format in this chapter book for emerging readers.
Recommended.