Sam and the Wallet
SAM AND THE WALLET , By Uche Peter Umez Review by Emmanuel W. Kijem for OHL children educational magazine Sam and the Wallet is an instructive story that looks at the uncertainties faced by today's young people, the power of honesty, the endurance of truth and the warmth of the traditional family. It weaves these into an interesting mix that draws the reader into the fast-moving world of two homeless boys. The storyline presents a sharp contrast between the two boys: one is fully wedded to the solid moral principles he was brought up with and the other has grown into a tough, smart and streetwise character with strong survival instincts. Their two different worldviews collide in many ways but things really come to a head as the storyline quickly winds its way into a laser-like focus on the wallet. The wallet quickly becomes the focal point of and the source of tension between their opposing value systems. The author does a good job of portraying the simple fact that every human be