Lily and the Paper Man.

Gregory Bryan is a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Homelessness is not a topic often discussed in literature for children. Rebecca Upjohn tells us that the inspiration for her book came from the reaction of her four-year-old son to a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk.

Each day that Lily walks home from school, she passes a man selling newspapers who is dressed in shoddy clothes. At first she’s a little frightened by him, but as winter approaches and Lily notices that he’s not dressed to ward off the increasing cold and snow, she reflects on her own warm home and cozy bed and wonders how he’ll stay warm. Determined to do something to help him, Lily gathers warm clothing and a quilt and presents them to the man. Her generosity not only warms his body, but (from the look of his cheerful face) his heart as well.

Renné Benoit’s charming watercolour illustrations depict Lily with a face of innocence, ideally suited to the character Upjohn has created.

This book serves as a useful tool for parents and educators who want to introduce young children to the subject of homelessness. Recommended.