Welcome Comfort

by Patricia Polacco

Book Overview

It's not easy being Welcome Comfort-a foster child always moving from home to home and getting picked on by the kids at school. Even Christmas, the most wondrous time of the year, isn't so wonderful for Welcome, who has no family, no presents, and no Santa Claus. "Santa! He's not even real!" But when Mr. Hamp, the school custodian, becomes his closest friend, Welcome's life changes forever. Now he has someone to visit and a family to be a part of...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399231692
• ISBN13: 9780399231698
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.8" x 11.2"
• Age Range: 6 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 5

Customer Reviews

A great story. Touching, heartwarming.

Welcome Comfort is a Christmas story as warm and endearing as the title suggests. Welcome Comfort is a boy who has a hard time at school, and life in general. He has a weight problem, and he has always lived in foster homes. Then someone special comes into his life. Who is this someone special? Even Welcome doesn't know until he is an adult. This story is about a small boy who seems to have the deck stacked against him, but his life turns out to be an amazing adventure, regardless. It's about caring, sharing, loving and living. It's about a young boy who keeps trucking along even when things are tough. It's a great story.

Welcome Comfort - A real Comfort

This is one of the best Christmas stories I can read to my school children. It teaches them to be tolerant of others and keeps them guessing as to the outcome of the story. I highly recommend it.

A Holiday Tradition

This book has become a tradition in our family since it was inspired by grandparents Martha and Quinton Hamp, whom the author included as characters in the story. Our children love Ms. Polacco's beautiful artwork, warm-hearted characters and magical ending. Teachers love receiving this book as an addition to their classroom libraries, especially at the holidays. Highly recommended!

Santa in our hearts

Wonderful, loving book that helps children see their actions through another's eyes! My students gasped with delight at the conclusion of the book. Many have been the victim of not being with the 'in crowd' at school. Through this book they have been given hope and love.

Magical... I believe!!!

What can friendship, compassion and a little bit of magic do for a "substantially-built" foster child, teased relentlessly by his classmates? After meeting Mr. Hamp, the equally "substantial" school janitor, Welcome finds his life changed forever. Don't want to give away any details, but I wanted to buttonhole every child in the store and read it to them. Appealing to all ages. Makes your heart glow... like Santa!!! The illustrations are equally beautiful. Read it for yourself, read it to your children. It just might become a family tradition!