A Bear for Miguel (I Can Read Level 3) Paperback – Illustrated, April 25, 1997

I loved the story of sacrifice, giving and the satisfaction that bring to the giver, especially one a child who has little.

This is an engaging story that spoke to my little girl's heart. After she read this book (with minimal help), we discussed the concepts. It changed her heart. She finally became receptive to the idea of giving away some of her toys to poor children.My daughter also learned some Spanish words, which were beautifully integrated into the text of the story. She has retained the words and their meanings very well after only a few readings. She began to understand the concept of a foreign language because the words were presented in context first in Spanish then in English. This was far more effective than her Spanish picture dictionary.In short, this is a beautiful book that has the potential to expand your child's horizons and change his/her heart. Children can relate well to the love that the main character has for her favorite - and only - toy, which makes the climax of the story easy to understand. A child who learns even one or two of the Spanish words and phrases could possibly make new friends at the playground. I highly recommend this lovingly written, educational book.

If you believe that war, poverty and brutality are appropriate topics for third-graders, this is the book for you. And there may very well be Salvadoran parents who wish to introduce the subject of that country's civil war to their children. The book is nicely illustrated, and I can't take issue with the writing on any technical basis. But seriously, the disclosure that Miguel was "hurt by soldiers. Now he can't run and play anymore," is a bit much for an eight-year-old, in my opinion.