Mary Elizabeth Haggerty

Summary:
Carlos and his mother recently moved into a new apartment, which his mother did not believe is up to par. His mother has lost her job and spends every minute of the daylight looking for a new job. One night, Carlos notices a terrifying and ugly crack on the wall. When he gets home from school the next day, he decides to turn this crack into a beautiful tree. As days and nights go on, Carlos adds to his decorations but his mother is too tired to notice what he has done. One afternoon Carlos decides to make Christmas stars for his tree out of gum wrappers, but he is not happy with the results. That night a light from a car shines through the window waking mother up. She is ecstatic of the tree and decorations and her and Carlos dance through the night until they fall asleep.

Review:
A Crack in the Wall addresses the child's outlook on moving into a new home after a parent has lost their job. For children going through similar situations, this book could be used as an outlook or support system. It is interesting that when the mother is telling Carlos not to worry, he is not worried for himself but rather for his mother. Great book to tackle the harsh realities of an experience that many children relate to.… (más)