Christmas Makes Me Think

by Tony Medina, Chandra Cox (Illustrator)

A young African American boy reflects on the spirit of Christmas and thinks of ways he can share what he has with others.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Tony Medina is a poet, graphic novelist, editor, short story writer, and author. Born in the South Bronx and raised in the Throgs Neck Housing Projects, Medina earned a BA in English at Baruch College, CUNY, on the GI Bill, and an MA and PhD at Binghamton University, SUNY, where he received the Distinguished Dissertation Award. Medina has published 22 books for adults and young readers, the most recent of which are Che Che Colé; Death, With Occasional Smiling; Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy; I Am Alfonso Jones; and Resisting Arrest: Poems to Stretch the Sky. Medina’s awards include the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the Langston Hughes Society Award, the first African Voices Literary Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award honor, and Special Recognition from the Arnold Adoff Poetry Award. He has appeared in several documentaries and CD compilations and has read/performed his work all over the United States, as well as in Germany, France, Poland, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Netherlands. The first professor of creative writing at Howard University, Medina’s poetry, fiction and essays appear in over 100 journals and anthologies, including Sheree Renée Thomas' Dark Matter, Ishmael Reed’s Hollywood Unchained and Kevin Young’s Library of America anthology, African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle & Song, and as an advisory editor for Nikki Giovanni’s Hip Hop Speaks to Children. Medina has also been featured on NBC's philanthropic reality show, Give, PBS’ White House Chronicle, CBS’ Great Day Washington, SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, Medgar Evers College’s Writers on Writing, Forbes magazine, and has worked extensively with the non-profit literary organizations Say It Loud, Behind the Book, and Meet the Writers. Medina's book, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Boy, was featured on Let's Learn NYC for PBS. Follow him on Facebook; Twitter: @PoetTonyMedina and Instagram: poettonymedina. His website is tonymedina.org.

Reviews

[Jarno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about a kid who is thinking about other
People to give presents too including homeless people
That don’t have a home.
In the beginning the kid gets excited. He tells his family
That Christmas is here.
I’m the middle they ask about how would they pray and
Sing a song. They ask about how to chop a tree in a
Park.
In the end he becomes to be Santa Claus. He is giving
Away presents for people that don’t have any.
I hope everybody had a good day and I will be back to
Update more books another day. Bye.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important theme for a book. It starts off pretty preachy and not super practical....maybe it's that it was Christmas Eve when I read it, but tips like visiting a pig or a cow instead of eating them seemed highly impractical for a kid to do and not a great way to start. The messages got more consistent and more useful later in the story, which isn't particularly long. It's good for kids to see how the holiday impacts the world. I'd recommend this book, but maybe not on Christmas Eve.

[Pachyderm Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful children's book which gives readers clearly clarifying injunctions to be charitable,
not only just at Christmastime, but any time of year.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of you worried about all the commercialism infecting your children’s values, this book might be the perfect answer.

The young boy in this story starts out thinking about all the gifts he is going to get and the good Christmas food he gets to eat. But then he realizes he has a whole closet full of gifts he doesn’t play with, and he thinks about all the kids who don’t get any gifts. He thinks about the people who don’t even have a place to live or food to eat. He starts thinking that maybe he could share his presents with those who have nothing and get his friends to share too: “Because that’s what Christmas should be about, not just fancy toys and the biggest tree.”

At the end of the book, Tony Medina tells about how he came to this realization in his childhood, and how he and his friends and family decided to help others in their neighborhood in Harlem. He ends with some suggested activities for kids to help others at Christmas.

Evaluation: I really like the idea for this story, and the suggestion that there are other ways to look at Christmas besides a loot-collecting opportunity. I also love the list of ideas Medina gives at the end of the book for kids to get involved in Christmas in a more giving way.

Rating: 3.5/5

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The new buzz word in education is "sustainability". This is one of those books that fits it. There are not enough books of color that truly reflect a strong focus on the environment and ecology, yet social justice is ignored even though it is in MANY of these books. But environmentally this book should be in a classroom with perhaps activities for the children inspired by this reading. Through these economic troubles, global warming insights, and civil unrest, Christmas should make all of us think!!!

[Regge Episale · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I only had one book on my shelf to share with the grandchildren at Christmas, this would be it. As a matter of fact, it is on my book shelf and we do read it at Christmas. Medina uses simple words and an open heart to ask some important questions about the meaning of Christmas and how it should be celebrated. He inspires children to think about giving to others rather than focusing on getting for yourself.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

He learns to think about people who have less. He makes a point that real tress ought not to be cut down or animals eaten. I'm more on the side that real trees are sustainable while the plastic ones eventually fill up the dumps...Anyway, I do like the overall concept. The last page has other books to read about making a difference by serving others.

[Jessica]

Great book to teach children to help others and do nice things for others especially around the holidays. This little boy realizes that there are people who need more than he did and he decides to help the people in his community.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

a refreshing theme where children look beyond their own wants to contemplate the meaning of sharing, ecology and love

[Ngenama1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book to read to teach about giving and selflessness. It takes the focus of our wants and needs and shifts it what other people definitely need. Good with building community in the classroom.

[Artissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book.

[sosser · Rating 5 out of 5]

truly excellent story for the season!

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully written book told in rhyme to remind children (and adults) the true meaning behind Christmas. To help others and share what you have.