Kid Lit Book Review: In the Nick of Time

Title: In the Nick of Time

Author: Deedee Cummings

Illustrator: Charlene Mosley 

Publisher: Make a Way Media

Themes: multicultural, Black American/African American children's stories, festivals, Christmas/holidays

Ages: 3-7

A timely tale about a little brown boy who saves Christmas. Nick Saint never really put a lot of thought into his name until one snowy day in December when he accidentally receives a letter meant for Saint Nick. Realizing there is not much time left until Christmas, Nick opens the letter. The unexpected message inside ultimately leads him on a journey of understanding poverty, gratitude, and service to others while discovering the real meaning of the holiday spirit.

Review: In the Nick of Time

While eagerly waiting for the video game that he had ordered, Nick receives a letter addressed to Saint Nick, or Santa Claus. He is annoyed at the mailman who delivered the wrong package but when he opens the letter, he is surprised to find a letter from one of his classmates to Santa asking for a job for his mother and a toy truck for his brother. The letter moved me as much as it moved the protagonist, Nick. Though Nick initially doubts if he could play Santa, especially given what Cooper has asked for, his parents are thoughtful and supportive, and they help him fill Cooper's stockings. This book beautifully shows the true message and meaning of Christmas—the spirit of giving. We often associate Christmas with gifts and not giving. Nick and Cooper are classmates, yet they are completely different. While Nick is a brown child who is obsessed with video games and lives a rich life with his parents, who own a firm (where they offer Cooper's mother a job), Cooper is a white boy who lives in a homeless shelter with his younger brother and mother. Nick notices that all of Cooper's requests to Santa are for others and not for himself, and this inspires him to help Cooper in the true spirit of Christmas.

Books like In the Nick of Time that show children becoming heroes are important as they inspire young readers to be heroes in their own little ways. However, such books should also be diverse and inclusive, like this one, so that children know that brown people can be heroes too! This is especially important given the negative images that non-white children have to deal with growing up. With brown skin, round eyes, and black curly hair, Mosley's image of Nick must be relatable for brown readers who deserve to read stories about children who look like them.

Speaking of the layout, it would have been simpler to read if the speech has been italicised or double-quoted. On the other hand, the text is artfully placed in blank spaces or patches of white neatly over the colourful illustrations that cover three-fourths of each page. The language used by Cummings is level appropriate for the suggested reading level of ages 3 to 7 and the dialogues resemble real world conversations, making this book a good choice for the language classroom as an authentic text or for supplementary reading.

In the Nick of Time would make an wonderful Christmas gift and a great addition to any library. This book is recommended for all English language teachers who are looking for diverse and inclusive picture books to use in their classrooms.

About the author

Deirdre “Deedee” Cummings believes literacy is a fundamental human right. She is the founder of Make A Way Media, It Pays to Read & the Louisville Book Festival, as well as, an attorney, therapist, and CEO of Abi Behavioral Health in Louisville, Kentucky. Abi is an intensive therapy agency that works to prevent the placement of children in out of home care, such as foster care, hospitalization, and incarceration. Deedee attended Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, one of only two all-female Historically Black Colleges in the country. After graduating from Bennett, she earned a master’s degree and a law degree from the University of Louisville. All of her writing focuses on sharing inspiring messages that remind us all it is never too late to begin again.

Illustrations from In the Nick of Time by Charlene Mosley. Source: Amazon

Illustrations from In the Nick of Time by Charlene Mosley. Source: Amazon

ESL Activities to Teach About Festivals: Christmas/Holidays

This post was first published as part of the virtual book tour hosted by iRead Book Tours from 12 October to 4 December 2020 to celebrate the release of In the Nick of Time.