Little Man Little Man facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | James Baldwin |
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| Illustrator | Yoran Cazac |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Dial Press |
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Publication date
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1976 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 96 pages |
| ISBN | 0-8037-4859-0 |
Little Man Little Man: A Story of Childhood is a children's book from 1976. It was written by the famous author James Baldwin and illustrated by Yoran Cazac. This story gives readers a peek into the life of a young boy growing up in Harlem, New York City.
Contents
What the Story is About
The book tells the story through the eyes of a young boy named TJ. He shares his everyday adventures and feelings while playing outside with his friends.
Why the Book is Called "Little Man Little Man"
The title of the book comes from a special moment in the story. Miss Lee, a kind neighbor, uses the words "Little man, little man" when she helps WT. She says this after he gets hurt, showing her care for him.
Summary of the Story
The story begins with TJ playing ball with his friends. He has a few small accidents, first grazing his knee, then hurting his bottom. Suddenly, a police car drives by. The police are looking for someone, and the children quickly run away.
Later, TJ's father invites WT, one of TJ's friends, over for hot cocoa. This shows the warm community feeling. Another day, TJ goes shopping for Miss Lee, a neighbor, with WT helping him.
Then, Miss Beanpole, another neighbor, asks TJ to go shopping for her. TJ brings his three friends along. They visit a store owned by a Puerto Rican person. On their way back, while playing ball again, WT gets hurt. A bottle falls from a window, and the broken glass cuts his foot, making it bleed.
They rush to Mr. Man's house for help. Miss Lee, Mr. Man's wife, takes care of WT's cut. She is very worried about him. After helping him, she gives him a Pepsi Cola to make him feel better. The story ends on a happy note. Blinky, one of the friends, dances to music Mr. Man is playing. Everyone, including Miss Lee and Mr. Man, enjoys the fun.
Main Characters in the Book
The story focuses on TJ, who is a four-year-old boy living in Harlem. Besides TJ, there are several other important characters:
- TJ's parents: They are loving and caring, often looking out for TJ and his friends.
- WT: He is a seven-year-old boy and a good friend to TJ. WT has an older brother. His father is not at home, and his mother works long hours. WT dreams of becoming a boxer when he grows up.
- Blinky: An eight-year-old girl who is part of the group. She often wears blue jeans and knows some Spanish words.
- Mr. Man: He is the building's janitor. He is about thirty-seven years old and loves to play music.
- Mrs. Lee: She is Mr. Man's wife. She used to work as a nurse before she got married. She is kind and caring, especially when WT gets hurt.
- Miss Beanpole: A neighbor who likes to watch things from her window. She often stays inside her apartment. Miss Beanpole is not her real name; TJ just can't remember her actual name.
References to Other Art and Music
The book includes mentions of popular music and artists that the characters enjoy:
- Mr. Man is said to be listening to "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones. Later, the song "Night Train" is also mentioned.
- TJ's father once took his son to a concert by the famous singer Stevie Wonder.
Connections to Real Life
The story also connects to real people and events:
- The book is dedicated to Beauford Delaney, who was a well-known artist and a friend of James Baldwin.
- TJ looks up to Hank Aaron, a legendary baseball player.
- WT hopes to become a boxer like Sonny Liston, a famous heavyweight boxer.
- TJ sees a newspaper called Muhammad Speaks in a store. He remembers that his father doesn't approve of it, but his mother believes that all kinds of reading are valuable.
