A child begins her day in the city. Not far away, “it’s time for the old man to get up, too.” He has spent a cold, uncomfortable night on the street, and now he is hungry. He moves slowly through his day, keeping to himself but often bothered by others: Policemen nudge him awake on the curb, telling him to move along; people stare at him on the bus. At the shelter, he can’t remember his name—required—upon checking in, so he heads to the park instead. There, the child who appeared at the start of the book offers him a sandwich and, with a smile, tells him he looks like a teddy bear. Bolstered by the child’s kindness, the man returns to the shelter, where he identifies himself as “Teddy” upon entering. Soft illustrations and plenty of white space accompany this quiet story about the power of a kind word, a small, generous act, and a nonjudgmental attitude. (Ages 4–6)