During Christmas in Mexico there is a festival in which people gather at the cathedral to give gifts to the baby infant who lay in his manger in the Nativity scene. Miguel wants so desperately to give the infant the gift of a silver whistle he was going to buy with his own money after selling his many clay whistles he made. Once into town, Miguel begins to look for the man who is selling the whistle after he has sold all of his clay whistles. Miguel gets side tracked by buying items either to save them, like a beaten down donkey, or help people, like the mother and child he gave a serape to. After his good deeds, Miguel is left with nothing but his yellow bird, which he is too ashamed of to give as a gift to the infant. His father encourages him and in the end it is evident that the gift was perfect. This is a great book to remind children that hard work and a tender heart goes a long way, for other's happiness and your own. ( )