STRAY TO TENT A FOREVER HOME by Gary Clark

The story emphasizes that when the homeless finally find somewhere they feel safe and can clean themselves up, it feels like a special blessing and luxury to them. It also makes a strong point that the homeless, people and animals, have needs for love and companionship just like everyone else does. Since the end of the story has a 2 page list of resources where readers can find more information about the issue, I think the purpose of the book is to increase awareness about homelessness and encourage people to think about the role they could play in helping to solve this serious social problem.

Homelessness is a topic that makes many people feel uncomfortable, so I think books like Stray to Tent A Forever Home are important and should be written. The idea that so many people and animals in the world are homeless is heart-wrenching, but it is a social issue that will continue to be a problem until people understand it better and get involved in organizations that help improve living situations for the homeless. This is why I think Mr. Clark’s book would be good for schools or churches to share with school-age children before they participate in a community service or mission project. In a way that’s not scary, the book’s colorful artwork shows how homeless are forced to live day to day, so it’s a perfect way to start discussions about what homelessness is and how it happens to people and animals. It also sends a powerful message about how no one wants to be homeless and that they can even be people of faith. Overall, the book is a wake-up call for us to be grateful for the blessed lives we live every day.