A Newbery Honor book, this is the delightfully warm and enjoyable story of an old Parisian named Armand, who relished his solitary life. Children, he said, were like starlings, and one was better off without them. But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge. Armand and the children's adventures around Paris -- complete with gypsies and a Santa Claus -- make a story which children will treasure.

123 pgs

About the Author: Natalie Savage Carlson is fondly remembered as the author of the much-loved Orpheline series and Surprise in the Mountains. Born in Virginia, Ms. Carlson later lived in Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and the Pacific Northwest. She eventually settled in Florida prior to her death.