In this Christmas story from Walter Dean Myers, a shrewd old woman teaches a new police patrolman an important lesson by inviting his family to Christmas dinner. Along with his co-workers, the policeman has a negative view of Harlem (the poor, often violent African American neighborhood in which he works) and doesn’t think it a fit place for a family visit. His wife insists on going, and the visit reveals another side of the community… “regular” churchgoing families exchanging Christmas greetings on the street and celebrating the holiday together. Themes: Christmas, community, prejudice, understanding, aging gracefully, caring, sharing.
