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The Family Under the Bridge
This is the delightfully warm and enjoyable story of an old Parisian named Armand, who relished his solitary life. Children, he said, were like starlings, and one was better off without them.
But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge.
Armand and the children's adventures around Paris -- complete with gypsies and a Santa Claus -- make a story which children will treasure.
But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge.
Armand and the children's adventures around Paris -- complete with gypsies and a Santa Claus -- make a story which children will treasure.
46 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1958
275 people are currently reading
9292 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Savage Carlson
53 books57 followersNatalie Savage Carlson was born on October 3, 1906, in Kernstown, Virginia. After she married, she moved around a great deal as the wife of a Navy officer, living for many years in Paris, France.
Her first story was published in the Baltimore Sunday Sun when she was eight years old.
Her first book, The Talking Cat and Other Stories of French Canada (where her mother was born), was published in 1952. One of her best-loved books is The Family Under the Bridge (1958), which was a Newbery Honor book in 1959. Many readers will remember her series of Happy Orpheline books about a group of French orphans and their carefree lives.
In 1966, Ms. Carlson was the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen International Children's Book Award.
Materials for fifteen of her novels are held at the Children's Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ms. Carlson lived in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, California, the Pacific Northwest, Florida, and abroad. She died September 23, 1997, in Rhode Island.
Her first story was published in the Baltimore Sunday Sun when she was eight years old.
Her first book, The Talking Cat and Other Stories of French Canada (where her mother was born), was published in 1952. One of her best-loved books is The Family Under the Bridge (1958), which was a Newbery Honor book in 1959. Many readers will remember her series of Happy Orpheline books about a group of French orphans and their carefree lives.
In 1966, Ms. Carlson was the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen International Children's Book Award.
Materials for fifteen of her novels are held at the Children's Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ms. Carlson lived in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, California, the Pacific Northwest, Florida, and abroad. She died September 23, 1997, in Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,343 reviews
November 8, 2022
If I were working in a bookstore now, and that store decided to have fresh copies of this old classic on hand near the counter, I'd manage to sell about 1,000 copies before Christmas Day.
Honestly, do yourself a favor and make sure this one lands in your hands at least once in your lifetime, regardless of your age, your religious beliefs, or your gender.
Honestly, do yourself a favor and make sure this one lands in your hands at least once in your lifetime, regardless of your age, your religious beliefs, or your gender.
December 19, 2022
As the Christmas season draws near, I am reminded of a beautiful children’s book set in Paris at Christmas time ~ The Family Under the Bridge, by American author Natalie Savage Carlson. The Family Under the Bridge is a celebration of the City of Light, a celebration of generosity and kindness, and a celebration of family sticking together through tough times.
Reading this book is like being taken on a walking tour of Paris. And no ordinary walking tour of Paris ~ a walking tour of Paris conducted by an old hobo who would rather live in Paris than anywhere else.
At the beginning of the story, Armand walks past Notre Dame Cathedral. He descends to the cobbled quay along the Seine river and returns to his favored spot under the bridge. It is there that he meets the three homeless children who will steal his heart. Together they walk among the crowd of holiday shoppers on the Rue de Rivoli, visit Father Christmas at the Louvre, and attend a Christmas Eve party under Tournelle Bridge.
When Armand takes the children to see the gypsies, they first stop by Les Halles, the fresh food market, and then walk past St. Eustache Church, down Rue de Petits Carreaux with its “patterns of cobbles so tiny that they looked like mosaic” (58), and on to the gypsy encampment at the Court of Miracles. Other places of mention are the Place Maubert, Rue de Montorgueil, Rue de l’Opera, the Theatre-Francais, and the Jardin des Plantes, the Parisian botanical garden.
Carlson lovingly presents the sights of Paris through the eyes of the Calcet children. One especially pretty scene occurs at the Christmas Eve party under Tournelle Bridge:
“But Suzy’s eyes were looking across the river to the little Isle of the Cité, where Notre Dame was illuminated like a saint’s dream. Its flying buttresses and tall, fragile arrow were frosted with light” (83).
Despite the beauty of this scene, one never forgets that the Calcet children are poor and homeless.
“Paris had turned white overnight. It was a beautiful sight for those who could stand in a warm room and look through a window” (51).
Though their widowed mother works long hours at the laundry, she doesn’t earn enough for rent. Their future is uncertain. Suzy, Paul, and Evelyne are cold and hungry, their clothes are ill-fitting and mismatched, and they cannot even go to school.
The hobo life that so comfortably suits Armand is a calamity for the Calcets, but he shares his food, his philosophy, and his friendship. Armand has cultivated an appreciation for the simple pleasures and virtues of the poor. For lunch, he enjoys the aroma of food coming from a restaurant. He picks through the refuse at a flower stall to find himself a spring of holly for his buttonhole. And he carries around one shoe because it fits well and, who knows, its mate might show up someday. But most importantly, he values the kindness and generosity exhibited by the poor toward each other. This is made explicit when he lectures Madame Calcet on the gypsies. Madame Calcet think gypsies are just thieves, but Armand defends them.
“’What is wrong with gypsies?’ asked Armand. ‘Why do you think you are better? Are you kinder? Are you more generous?‘” (71).
Madame Calcet is an honest and hard-working woman, but she needs help and it is not easy for her to accept the generosity of others. She is upset when she learns that her children accepted food from Armand and she tries to distance herself from the other homeless people at the Christmas Eve party when she offers to help serve the dinner. But Armand reminds her of her own words about family sticking together:
“Well, we’re all God's big poor family, so we need to stick together and help each other” (72).
Setting her pride aside, Madame Calcet accepts the gypsies’ generosity. Armand has taught her a valuable lesson, but he has a lesson to learn as well.
Armand does not like children ~ or so he says. He calls them “starlings” and fears they will steal his heart. But Armand’s real fear is revealed in chapter one:
“These starlings would steal your heart if you didn’t keep it well hidden. And he wanted nothing to do with children. They meant homes and responsibility and regular work—all the things he had turned his back on so long ago” (7-8).
Armand doesn’t like to work. Twice he turns down job offers. This sets him apart from the other poor people in the story, like the hobo Camille who works as a department store Father Christmas, or Louis who works as a pusher at Les Halles, or the gypsies who earn their living mending pots and pans. Armand is good and kind and generous, but he idolizes the carefree hobo life. He speaks fondly of “the good old days of Paris” when a bell was rung in the marketplace as a signal to the hobos that they could pick up their scraps (15) and he extols the Court of Miracles, the beggars’ slum, as a place of feasting and merry-making (59).
But something is missing from Armand’s life, though it isn’t easy for him to admit. In one poignant scene, he is attending Midnight Mass on the Tournelle quay with the Calcet family and he tries to pray:
“In his misery he raised his eyes high over the altar—up to the stars in the Paris sky. ‘Please, God,’ he said, moving his lips soundlessly, ‘I've forgotten how to pray. All I know now is how to beg. So I'm begging you to find a roof for this homeless family‘” (88).
This scene is especially moving because from the very beginning Armand was presented with the cathedral in the background.
“Armand tramped under the black, leafless trees and around the cathedral by the river side without ever giving it a glance” (5).
Then he grins “like one of the roguish gargoyles on the cathedral” (7).
And now he is praying.
Before meeting the Calcet children, Armand was content with his small solitary world.
“The lights of Paris were floating in the river, but the only light in the tunnel flickered from a tiny fire Armand had made” (16).
Back then he sat under the bridge, a place lit only by his own little fire. He didn’t see the lights of Paris. He didn’t see the illuminated cathedral. Now he looks up to the stars. He looks up and he prays in the only way he knows how. And all because three little “starlings” have stolen his heart.
Just as Madame Calcet must learn to have less pride, Armand must learn to have more.
This delightful story is enlivened by Carlson’s endearing characters and rich description. The Calcets are winsome children. There’s Suzy, the eldest, determined to keep her family together, Paul who boasts of how he’d find his family a home if he were bigger, Evelyne, the littlest Calcet, and Jojo the dog who knows how to behave himself at mass.
Carlson’s portraits of hobos and gypsies reveal their kindness and generosity, their readiness to share what they have and help those even less fortunate than themselves. No one is perfect, but everyone is good. Armand hates work, but he shares his food with the children and Jojo. The gypsies are wanderers and thieves, but they shelter the homeless Calcet family and share Christmas with them.
The gypsies are described as colorful and wonderfully strange. Mireli is first seen in the square at Notre Dame offering to tell fortunes. She’s dressed in a blue scarf, flowered skirt, short fur coat, and tarnished silver sandals. Later the Calcet children meet Tinka, a gypsy girl with bangs and golden earrings. Tinka teaches Suzy about St. Sara and tells her of the gypsy's annual pilgrimage to Provence. But as exotic as they are, the gypsies have something important in common with the Calcets: They believe in sticking together too.
The Family Under the Bridge is a heartwarming tale that is as sweet as roasted chestnuts, as innocent as freshly-fallen snow, and as charming as little Suzy’s Christmas wish.
Joyeux Noël
Reading this book is like being taken on a walking tour of Paris. And no ordinary walking tour of Paris ~ a walking tour of Paris conducted by an old hobo who would rather live in Paris than anywhere else.
At the beginning of the story, Armand walks past Notre Dame Cathedral. He descends to the cobbled quay along the Seine river and returns to his favored spot under the bridge. It is there that he meets the three homeless children who will steal his heart. Together they walk among the crowd of holiday shoppers on the Rue de Rivoli, visit Father Christmas at the Louvre, and attend a Christmas Eve party under Tournelle Bridge.
When Armand takes the children to see the gypsies, they first stop by Les Halles, the fresh food market, and then walk past St. Eustache Church, down Rue de Petits Carreaux with its “patterns of cobbles so tiny that they looked like mosaic” (58), and on to the gypsy encampment at the Court of Miracles. Other places of mention are the Place Maubert, Rue de Montorgueil, Rue de l’Opera, the Theatre-Francais, and the Jardin des Plantes, the Parisian botanical garden.
Carlson lovingly presents the sights of Paris through the eyes of the Calcet children. One especially pretty scene occurs at the Christmas Eve party under Tournelle Bridge:
“But Suzy’s eyes were looking across the river to the little Isle of the Cité, where Notre Dame was illuminated like a saint’s dream. Its flying buttresses and tall, fragile arrow were frosted with light” (83).
Despite the beauty of this scene, one never forgets that the Calcet children are poor and homeless.
“Paris had turned white overnight. It was a beautiful sight for those who could stand in a warm room and look through a window” (51).
Though their widowed mother works long hours at the laundry, she doesn’t earn enough for rent. Their future is uncertain. Suzy, Paul, and Evelyne are cold and hungry, their clothes are ill-fitting and mismatched, and they cannot even go to school.
The hobo life that so comfortably suits Armand is a calamity for the Calcets, but he shares his food, his philosophy, and his friendship. Armand has cultivated an appreciation for the simple pleasures and virtues of the poor. For lunch, he enjoys the aroma of food coming from a restaurant. He picks through the refuse at a flower stall to find himself a spring of holly for his buttonhole. And he carries around one shoe because it fits well and, who knows, its mate might show up someday. But most importantly, he values the kindness and generosity exhibited by the poor toward each other. This is made explicit when he lectures Madame Calcet on the gypsies. Madame Calcet think gypsies are just thieves, but Armand defends them.
“’What is wrong with gypsies?’ asked Armand. ‘Why do you think you are better? Are you kinder? Are you more generous?‘” (71).
Madame Calcet is an honest and hard-working woman, but she needs help and it is not easy for her to accept the generosity of others. She is upset when she learns that her children accepted food from Armand and she tries to distance herself from the other homeless people at the Christmas Eve party when she offers to help serve the dinner. But Armand reminds her of her own words about family sticking together:
“Well, we’re all God's big poor family, so we need to stick together and help each other” (72).
Setting her pride aside, Madame Calcet accepts the gypsies’ generosity. Armand has taught her a valuable lesson, but he has a lesson to learn as well.
Armand does not like children ~ or so he says. He calls them “starlings” and fears they will steal his heart. But Armand’s real fear is revealed in chapter one:
“These starlings would steal your heart if you didn’t keep it well hidden. And he wanted nothing to do with children. They meant homes and responsibility and regular work—all the things he had turned his back on so long ago” (7-8).
Armand doesn’t like to work. Twice he turns down job offers. This sets him apart from the other poor people in the story, like the hobo Camille who works as a department store Father Christmas, or Louis who works as a pusher at Les Halles, or the gypsies who earn their living mending pots and pans. Armand is good and kind and generous, but he idolizes the carefree hobo life. He speaks fondly of “the good old days of Paris” when a bell was rung in the marketplace as a signal to the hobos that they could pick up their scraps (15) and he extols the Court of Miracles, the beggars’ slum, as a place of feasting and merry-making (59).
But something is missing from Armand’s life, though it isn’t easy for him to admit. In one poignant scene, he is attending Midnight Mass on the Tournelle quay with the Calcet family and he tries to pray:
“In his misery he raised his eyes high over the altar—up to the stars in the Paris sky. ‘Please, God,’ he said, moving his lips soundlessly, ‘I've forgotten how to pray. All I know now is how to beg. So I'm begging you to find a roof for this homeless family‘” (88).
This scene is especially moving because from the very beginning Armand was presented with the cathedral in the background.
“Armand tramped under the black, leafless trees and around the cathedral by the river side without ever giving it a glance” (5).
Then he grins “like one of the roguish gargoyles on the cathedral” (7).
And now he is praying.
Before meeting the Calcet children, Armand was content with his small solitary world.
“The lights of Paris were floating in the river, but the only light in the tunnel flickered from a tiny fire Armand had made” (16).
Back then he sat under the bridge, a place lit only by his own little fire. He didn’t see the lights of Paris. He didn’t see the illuminated cathedral. Now he looks up to the stars. He looks up and he prays in the only way he knows how. And all because three little “starlings” have stolen his heart.
Just as Madame Calcet must learn to have less pride, Armand must learn to have more.
This delightful story is enlivened by Carlson’s endearing characters and rich description. The Calcets are winsome children. There’s Suzy, the eldest, determined to keep her family together, Paul who boasts of how he’d find his family a home if he were bigger, Evelyne, the littlest Calcet, and Jojo the dog who knows how to behave himself at mass.
Carlson’s portraits of hobos and gypsies reveal their kindness and generosity, their readiness to share what they have and help those even less fortunate than themselves. No one is perfect, but everyone is good. Armand hates work, but he shares his food with the children and Jojo. The gypsies are wanderers and thieves, but they shelter the homeless Calcet family and share Christmas with them.
The gypsies are described as colorful and wonderfully strange. Mireli is first seen in the square at Notre Dame offering to tell fortunes. She’s dressed in a blue scarf, flowered skirt, short fur coat, and tarnished silver sandals. Later the Calcet children meet Tinka, a gypsy girl with bangs and golden earrings. Tinka teaches Suzy about St. Sara and tells her of the gypsy's annual pilgrimage to Provence. But as exotic as they are, the gypsies have something important in common with the Calcets: They believe in sticking together too.
The Family Under the Bridge is a heartwarming tale that is as sweet as roasted chestnuts, as innocent as freshly-fallen snow, and as charming as little Suzy’s Christmas wish.
Joyeux Noël
May 15, 2019
Hard work, determination, the support of others, and maybe just a bit of luck on your side can really turn things around. Those should have been the lessons learned from reading this but that's not the message I was picking up. I must be missing something, I don't understand the appeal and the numerous great reviews. Underwhelming even for this softhearted reader. 1 1/2 stars.
December 12, 2022
Ordered this last year from the kids' book order, because it was a) a Christmas book I've never heard of, and b) a Newbery Honor book I had never heard of. Then I ended up not reading it aloud to the kids as I had intended, because I saw some reviews saying that it would be upsetting for kids who believe in Santa Claus. This year I thought I'd better read it first, since my daughter (just turned 8) wanted to read it.
Hm. I guess those reviews about it ruining Santa are from people who expected Santa Claus to swoop down and rescue the family? I dunno. I don't have a problem with it. Armand, the crotchety homeless man who takes three children and their mother, newly homeless, under his wing, takes the children to see the Father Christmas at a store. It's obvious that the man is just "hired to play Father Christmas," he is in fact a good friend of Armand's. I think any kids old enough to read this book, or follow along as its read to them, don't have trouble with mall Santas being hired to play the part. The children (in the book) ask him for a house, which he explains he cannot bring them, because he can't carry it. Also fine.
But that aside, it's a sweet little story. It reminds me of many of the old-fashioned books of yore, when you can have your POV character in a children's book be an older man, and when such matters as not enough money, and not wanting to go to an orphanage, were dealt with in simple and matter-of-fact terms. The book has a happy ending. The children are never in real peril. When they are hungry, they find a scrappy way to get some money and buy food, ditto when they are cold. It reminds me, in fact, of a mix of The Boxcar Children and just a smidge of Miracle on 34th Street, though the miracles are definitely manmade here.
Hm. I guess those reviews about it ruining Santa are from people who expected Santa Claus to swoop down and rescue the family? I dunno. I don't have a problem with it. Armand, the crotchety homeless man who takes three children and their mother, newly homeless, under his wing, takes the children to see the Father Christmas at a store. It's obvious that the man is just "hired to play Father Christmas," he is in fact a good friend of Armand's. I think any kids old enough to read this book, or follow along as its read to them, don't have trouble with mall Santas being hired to play the part. The children (in the book) ask him for a house, which he explains he cannot bring them, because he can't carry it. Also fine.
But that aside, it's a sweet little story. It reminds me of many of the old-fashioned books of yore, when you can have your POV character in a children's book be an older man, and when such matters as not enough money, and not wanting to go to an orphanage, were dealt with in simple and matter-of-fact terms. The book has a happy ending. The children are never in real peril. When they are hungry, they find a scrappy way to get some money and buy food, ditto when they are cold. It reminds me, in fact, of a mix of The Boxcar Children and just a smidge of Miracle on 34th Street, though the miracles are definitely manmade here.
December 15, 2022
A really nice, old-fashioned Christmas story. Not sweet and sappy, but realistic enough to make you believe in the goodness of all kinds of people. Just what I needed after being in traffic this morning with a lot of rude, nasty drivers that made me think rude, nasty thoughts.
This is a children's book with a message about not judging others based on preconceived ideas. Beautiful illustrations by Garth Williams.
This is a children's book with a message about not judging others based on preconceived ideas. Beautiful illustrations by Garth Williams.
December 11, 2020
What an uplifting, sweet read. Definitely a book that this reader needed after a tremendous reading slump and the incredibly horrific year that many of just went through and continue to go through. It’s a very short book (123 pages) so if you have time and just want or need to smile then this is just what the doctor ordered! I highly recommend! Five big ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️‘s!
December 5, 2017
Monsieur Armand is a homeless person living in Paris, sleeping under bridges and I think the book suggests, is happy with his lot. He then meets a widow and her children. The children soon become attached to Monsieur Armand and call him Grandfather. The story tells of the hardships of living on the street but the kindnesses encountered too. We liked the part where they lived with the gypsies and the christmas eve party.
This was a lovely story but I don't know why the author continually refered to Monsieur Armand as the hobo or the tramp, I changed this and used his name and explained how the book was written in times when this seemed okay. There were also references to homeless people not washing and being too lazy to work.
The overall story was very nice, and sympathetic to the people that it represented. There was some beautiful artwork, I suspect, like the cover they were originally watercolour but all illustrations inside are now black and white.
This was a lovely story but I don't know why the author continually refered to Monsieur Armand as the hobo or the tramp, I changed this and used his name and explained how the book was written in times when this seemed okay. There were also references to homeless people not washing and being too lazy to work.
The overall story was very nice, and sympathetic to the people that it represented. There was some beautiful artwork, I suspect, like the cover they were originally watercolour but all illustrations inside are now black and white.
October 16, 2022
Now I both appreciate and actively love the in Natalie Savage Carlson's Newbery Honour winning The Family Under the Bridge generally positive and uncritical, non judgmental depiction of French homelessness and that Armand is narrationally presented by the author as more than happy and content with his chosen lifestyle and that he is thus also not to be considered as an inherently problematic at best individual simply because he lives outside and deliberately chooses to do so (although I personally would much prefer for Natalie Savage Carlson to call Armand the French term clochard, as that is a much less imbued with automatic negativity and criticism moniker than the English language terms hobo or tramp tend to be). And yes indeed, even more personally appreciated is that in The Family Under the Bridge, Armand's Gypsy friends are also not automatically considered and approached by the author as possible, as probable nasty thieves and criminals and that in fact, it is far more often Madame Calcet who faces the most (and in my opinion deserved) authorial criticism, who is negatively portrayed when she at first would rather her children remain alone and cold under a bridge, friendless and without support than having Armand (and later the Gypsies) act and function as the children's protectors and helpers (and as such, I also have to admit that I do personally rather vehemently despise those readers, those reviewers who only see and consider Armand as a homeless and lazy good-for-nothing, when on every page of The Family Under the Bridge, Armand is always and glowingly shown as a true gentleman in every way, with a heart of pure gold).
But indeed, the only reason why my rating for The Family Under the Bridge is four and not five stars, is that in fact I personally do not all that much like (and accept) how at the very end of the novel, Natalie Savage Carlson just has to turn Armand from a clochard into a working man with a home, as personally, I for one would prefer for Armand to be able to keep his outside existence on the streets of Paris, even after he has found a home and a job from home for Madame Calcet and her children (for sorry, but the ending of The Family Under the Bridge has just felt a wee bit too Protestant work ethic to and for me and kind of even to a certain extent seems to somewhat negate and denigrate the positive depiction of French clochards that is part and parcel to The Family Under the Bridge for most of the author's featured and presented textual storyline).
But indeed, the only reason why my rating for The Family Under the Bridge is four and not five stars, is that in fact I personally do not all that much like (and accept) how at the very end of the novel, Natalie Savage Carlson just has to turn Armand from a clochard into a working man with a home, as personally, I for one would prefer for Armand to be able to keep his outside existence on the streets of Paris, even after he has found a home and a job from home for Madame Calcet and her children (for sorry, but the ending of The Family Under the Bridge has just felt a wee bit too Protestant work ethic to and for me and kind of even to a certain extent seems to somewhat negate and denigrate the positive depiction of French clochards that is part and parcel to The Family Under the Bridge for most of the author's featured and presented textual storyline).
March 15, 2024
A lovely story with teaching moments. I was quite enchanted by the myriad characters scattered throughout this little book, as well as the moments filled with teaching opportunities. Can easily be read in two consecutive nights by parents with their children. Good opportunities for discussion at key points and a nice storyline. The story is pertinent for single parent families and those with two parents as well. See how a homeless family evolves to living under a bridge to include many new friends and ends with a home to call their own. Charming!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2019
A truly heartwarming story for all ages. I fell in love the aged hobo who was content in life just being in his version of freedom, the adorable dog who should have been white but wasn't, Jo-Jo, the small children with their cute questions and wonders. Suzy who wanted school, Paul who would have been just as happy never going back.
The book has different turns and events in the decently sized children's story - from different homes to different discoveries. Some nudges of coy humor slip in (like with the tree!, or the food that "fell" into the cart) and the fortune at the end is gained not through just luck but coming together. Definitely a beautiful Christmas story- it may not be a direct Christmas story, but it happens at Christmas/New Year time so it's going in the books as that for me. His prayer was touching as he said he's forgotten how to pray, but not beg.
Armand starts the book by saying he avoids children because he worries about emotional involvement - and at the end it's not just the characters heartstrings that were tugged by the children, but mine too.
As a bonus, detailed pencil drawings decorated the book, adding a lot to the story.
The book has different turns and events in the decently sized children's story - from different homes to different discoveries. Some nudges of coy humor slip in (like with the tree!, or the food that "fell" into the cart) and the fortune at the end is gained not through just luck but coming together. Definitely a beautiful Christmas story- it may not be a direct Christmas story, but it happens at Christmas/New Year time so it's going in the books as that for me. His prayer was touching as he said he's forgotten how to pray, but not beg.
Armand starts the book by saying he avoids children because he worries about emotional involvement - and at the end it's not just the characters heartstrings that were tugged by the children, but mine too.
As a bonus, detailed pencil drawings decorated the book, adding a lot to the story.
March 17, 2019
A very short and sweet book about a homeless man in Paris, his friends the gypsies, and his new friends, a fatherless family evicted from their apartment. I read it a couple of times as a child, and was delighted to find it an even better read as an adult. A wee bit schmaltzy, but still splendid. Read it aloud with your family at Christmas. (It may not focus on Christmas per se, but it is about love, and it does take place in late December.)
March 26, 2011
I read this last night in a little under an hour, so it's a short read. I really liked parts of it, but others bothered.
For the good, it was a sweet little story of a man changing his heart because of some children he met. I enjoyed the characters. While there wasn't a lot of time spent on their development, they were lovable and you wanted so badly for their lives to get better. It was nice to see how they stuck together and tried to stay together and keep cheerful even during the hardest of times.
What I didn't like - There was an instance of stealing which was portrayed as "well, we're starving so it's okay to steal". The reason this bothered me so much was because the man COULD work, he just chose not to. Even if he didn't want a steady job (at the time) he could have worked for a day and earned enough money for a few day's worth of food. There were also a few times where lying was shown as appropriate. I could take the time to discuss these moral issues with my children, but overall, while it was a nice little story, it didn't "wow" and I think we could miss this without feeling like we'd skipped an important book.
For the good, it was a sweet little story of a man changing his heart because of some children he met. I enjoyed the characters. While there wasn't a lot of time spent on their development, they were lovable and you wanted so badly for their lives to get better. It was nice to see how they stuck together and tried to stay together and keep cheerful even during the hardest of times.
What I didn't like - There was an instance of stealing which was portrayed as "well, we're starving so it's okay to steal". The reason this bothered me so much was because the man COULD work, he just chose not to. Even if he didn't want a steady job (at the time) he could have worked for a day and earned enough money for a few day's worth of food. There were also a few times where lying was shown as appropriate. I could take the time to discuss these moral issues with my children, but overall, while it was a nice little story, it didn't "wow" and I think we could miss this without feeling like we'd skipped an important book.
January 24, 2023
Such a heartwarming story! Christmas spirit is shown at it’s best. Couldn’t help loving this hobo Monsieur Armand who had a heart of gold 🤗
December 14, 2022
4.5 Stars
Originally published October. 3, 1958, this is a story that begins with Armand, who lives under one of the Seine’s bridges, and has lived this way for long enough to know which places and things to stay away from. His life is simple, and he wants to keep it that way. The last thing he wants to be is part of a family, he prefers to be free of responsibility. And then one day, he returns to his spot and finds three young children and their mother, who have all recently been forced from their former home. In a way he never anticipated, it changes his life.
This is a slim little story, shared in 128 pages, beautifully illustrated by Garth Williams, and beautifully written by Natalie Savage Carlson.
Many thanks to Julie whose review pointed the way to this one!
Originally published October. 3, 1958, this is a story that begins with Armand, who lives under one of the Seine’s bridges, and has lived this way for long enough to know which places and things to stay away from. His life is simple, and he wants to keep it that way. The last thing he wants to be is part of a family, he prefers to be free of responsibility. And then one day, he returns to his spot and finds three young children and their mother, who have all recently been forced from their former home. In a way he never anticipated, it changes his life.
This is a slim little story, shared in 128 pages, beautifully illustrated by Garth Williams, and beautifully written by Natalie Savage Carlson.
Many thanks to Julie whose review pointed the way to this one!
March 5, 2022
I thought this was a sweet Christmas time read. We follow a grumpy, elderly hobo who quickly falls in love with a family of children and decides he is going to help them. I thought there were some lovely parts, but it doesn't stand out as a book I will remember or read again.
March 3, 2023
Made for a very sweet read-aloud with my kids and gave us some good conversation points about being grateful for what we have.
January 12, 2026
Armand, a homeless old Parisian man, has never wanted to be tied down by traditional family life. When three children and their mother move in beneath the bridge he thinks of as his own, he is at first very resistant. Over time, though, his affection for the little family motivates him to look beyond his own desires and help the little "starlings" get back on their feet.
I have read this book three times, and have never managed to put my thoughts down in a review. In a lot of ways, it's a very sentimental story, the kind of heartwarming tale that I like to read around Christmastime, which is when the story takes place. Because it has that sentimental feel to it, not everything that happens in the story feels completely realistic, and sometimes that has bothered me. I also struggle with the French pronunciation when I read the book aloud.
Still, in terms of setting and character, I think it's a top-notch children's book. Armand is a very different hero for a children's story, and I think young readers fall in love with him the same way the young children in the story do. Though homelessness is slightly romanticized by this book, the story does give kids a chance to contemplate what it might be like to live in less fortunate circumstances. It's also fun to do a bit of armchair traveling to Paris with Armand as a guide.
My most recent reading of this was aloud to my 6-year-old. She didn't love it as much as her older sister did, but I wonder if that will change in a year or two when I read it again to the next child. In any case, I'm happy to keep this book on our shelves as a feel-good read for the holiday season.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
I have read this book three times, and have never managed to put my thoughts down in a review. In a lot of ways, it's a very sentimental story, the kind of heartwarming tale that I like to read around Christmastime, which is when the story takes place. Because it has that sentimental feel to it, not everything that happens in the story feels completely realistic, and sometimes that has bothered me. I also struggle with the French pronunciation when I read the book aloud.
Still, in terms of setting and character, I think it's a top-notch children's book. Armand is a very different hero for a children's story, and I think young readers fall in love with him the same way the young children in the story do. Though homelessness is slightly romanticized by this book, the story does give kids a chance to contemplate what it might be like to live in less fortunate circumstances. It's also fun to do a bit of armchair traveling to Paris with Armand as a guide.
My most recent reading of this was aloud to my 6-year-old. She didn't love it as much as her older sister did, but I wonder if that will change in a year or two when I read it again to the next child. In any case, I'm happy to keep this book on our shelves as a feel-good read for the holiday season.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
July 4, 2009
I absolutely loved this story of how a homeless family in France finds a home. Charming!
June 30, 2017
آرماند پولی، به عناون یه بی خانمان توصیف شده، البته نه اون شکلی که این کلمه امروزه معنا میده. ترجیح میده آزاد باشه و توی خیابان های پاریس زندگی کنه تا اینکه زیر بار قبض و مسئولیت باشه. با انجام کارهای عجیب و گدایی، اونقدری پول درمیاره که بتونه روزش رو سر بکنه. وقتی هوا سردتر میشه و به کریسمس نزدیک میشن، او سه کودک رو پیدا میکنه که زیر پل، جایی که اون زندگی میکنه، دارن زندگی میکنن. سوزی، پاول و اِویلین و سگشون جوجو، منتظرن تا مادرش از سر کار برگرده. اونا سریع توی قلب آرماند جا باز میکنن با اینکه آرماند تلاش میکرد که به اونا احساسی پیدا نکنه. سریع مشخص میشه که اونا گرسنه هستن و غذا نخوردن بنابراین آرماند اونا رو میبره تا توی شهر بچرخن. ابتدا مایل نبودن اما در نهایت باهم توی خیابان آواز میخونن و کمی پول بدست میارن که باهاش غذا میخرن. مادرشون به آرماند اعتماد نداره اما کم کم اعتمادش جلب میشه. با اینکه کودکان اون موقع خوشحال بودن ولی به جایی برای خودشون نیاز دارن. آرماند فداکاری نهایی رو انجام میده تا اونا به آرزوشون برسن.
کتاب پر از طنزه و همچنین نشون میده که انسان ها وقتی کسی وارد قلبشون میشه چطور رفتار میکنن. افرادی که در ابتدا هیچ معنایی برای آرماند نداشتن. نثر کتاب ساده و خوبه و سرعت پیشروی مناسبی هم داره.
کتاب پر از طنزه و همچنین نشون میده که انسان ها وقتی کسی وارد قلبشون میشه چطور رفتار میکنن. افرادی که در ابتدا هیچ معنایی برای آرماند نداشتن. نثر کتاب ساده و خوبه و سرعت پیشروی مناسبی هم داره.
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April 30, 2019I think I read this a while back but it wasn't memorable. I think. ;)
December 8, 2022
Meh. How it won an award I'm not sure. The characters aren't memorable and are certainly not all that likable. The amount of moral laxity displayed by most of the characters is kinda, sorta resolved but might need additional clarification from a parent.
With so many wondrous and beautiful books out there, pass on this and start one of the greats!
Cleanliness:
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities and Substitutions - 2 Incidents: stupid, pouh
Name Calling - 4 Incidents: funny old tramp, stupid old tramp
Religious & Supernatural - 2 Incidents: Father Christmas is mentioned: "If you don't (behave), I'll tell Father Christmas about your rude manners." The little boy says he doesn't believe in him but then is convinced. Mentions a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Sara and the story behind how she was sainted.
Violence - None
Romance Related - 1 Incident: "Breast" pocket.
Attitudes/Disobedience - 8 Incidents: Lying: an old man lies, saying he is the children's grandfather in order to get alms from the crowd. Stealing/Lying: An old man steals some food and then says he doesn't know how it got in the buggy. Lying: An old man lies about Father Christmas giving the children a house so they won't feel so bad. (the children had previously asked Father Christmas to give them a house.) A boy wants to leave his family to go with the gypsies: '"Why can't I go?" asked Paul rebelliously.' Lying: An old man lies again about Father Christmas and the house the children want. Lying: An old man lies to a policeman about why the gypsies left. Lying: An old man lies, saying a dog has won many ribbons when he hasn't. Lying: An old man lies, saying he's never been one to fear work.
Conversation Topics - 10 Incidents: A gypsy offers to tell a man his fortune. There is a tramp in the story that is lazy and shirks from having responsibilities. "And he wanted nothing to do with children. They meant homes and responsibility and regular work - all the things he had turned his back on so long ago. And he was looking for adventure." But we see him change throughout the book and in the end he takes a job to help the children. The old man takes slight offense and says he didn't come looking for a job. An old man tells the children not to tell their mother that they were out begging or where they got their food. A woman is angry (prideful) when she finds out her children were begging and throws the gifts on the ground. The old man turns down another job offered to him. Racism: '"Gypsies!" shrieked Madame Calcet. "You have brought us to gypsies!" Then, in her shame and despair, she started sobbing bitterly.' She later infers Gypsies aren't honest and are thieves. To this the old man replies that they don't mean any harm and don't know any better. A gypsy offers to tell a woman her fortune. Big cartons are given to the homeless for Christmas - among other things, there are cigarettes. The old man decides to gift this to the gypsies. "Your fortune, monsieur?"
Parent Takeaway
The old man lies and leads the children on quite a bit. It is never really clarified or apologized for in the end, even though he does take a job, something he always shirked from, in order to help the children. The children love and care for each other and the mother, at first prideful, realizes that it's okay to accept help from others.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
With so many wondrous and beautiful books out there, pass on this and start one of the greats!
Cleanliness:
Children's Bad Words
Mild Obscenities and Substitutions - 2 Incidents: stupid, pouh
Name Calling - 4 Incidents: funny old tramp, stupid old tramp
Religious & Supernatural - 2 Incidents: Father Christmas is mentioned: "If you don't (behave), I'll tell Father Christmas about your rude manners." The little boy says he doesn't believe in him but then is convinced. Mentions a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Sara and the story behind how she was sainted.
Violence - None
Romance Related - 1 Incident: "Breast" pocket.
Attitudes/Disobedience - 8 Incidents: Lying: an old man lies, saying he is the children's grandfather in order to get alms from the crowd. Stealing/Lying: An old man steals some food and then says he doesn't know how it got in the buggy. Lying: An old man lies about Father Christmas giving the children a house so they won't feel so bad. (the children had previously asked Father Christmas to give them a house.) A boy wants to leave his family to go with the gypsies: '"Why can't I go?" asked Paul rebelliously.' Lying: An old man lies again about Father Christmas and the house the children want. Lying: An old man lies to a policeman about why the gypsies left. Lying: An old man lies, saying a dog has won many ribbons when he hasn't. Lying: An old man lies, saying he's never been one to fear work.
Conversation Topics - 10 Incidents: A gypsy offers to tell a man his fortune. There is a tramp in the story that is lazy and shirks from having responsibilities. "And he wanted nothing to do with children. They meant homes and responsibility and regular work - all the things he had turned his back on so long ago. And he was looking for adventure." But we see him change throughout the book and in the end he takes a job to help the children. The old man takes slight offense and says he didn't come looking for a job. An old man tells the children not to tell their mother that they were out begging or where they got their food. A woman is angry (prideful) when she finds out her children were begging and throws the gifts on the ground. The old man turns down another job offered to him. Racism: '"Gypsies!" shrieked Madame Calcet. "You have brought us to gypsies!" Then, in her shame and despair, she started sobbing bitterly.' She later infers Gypsies aren't honest and are thieves. To this the old man replies that they don't mean any harm and don't know any better. A gypsy offers to tell a woman her fortune. Big cartons are given to the homeless for Christmas - among other things, there are cigarettes. The old man decides to gift this to the gypsies. "Your fortune, monsieur?"
Parent Takeaway
The old man lies and leads the children on quite a bit. It is never really clarified or apologized for in the end, even though he does take a job, something he always shirked from, in order to help the children. The children love and care for each other and the mother, at first prideful, realizes that it's okay to accept help from others.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
March 22, 2017
Sweet story! The writing was lacking somewhat, but can we all just agree that the illustrations are adorable?!?! <3
October 2, 2018
This is a story of transformation: Armand, a Parisian hobo, meets three fatherless little children who have recently lost their home. He discovers them under a bridge where their mother has left them for the day while she's at her job. Armand is a crusty old guy, but his soft heart is moved by their plight and he grudgingly decides to take them under his wing. In the process of entertaining and caring for these children, he learns some important lessons that will change his life forever.
Read if You Like:
- Holiday tales - this one takes place at Christmastime.
- Beautiful evocative illustrations - the amazing Garth Brooks illustrated the copy I read and his art is simply perfect.
- Stories that include gypsies - they are caricatures in this book, but still entrancing and enigmatic.
Don't Read if You Dislike:
- Moral ambiguousness - the characters make sinful decisions at times that are excused or even portrayed in a positive light.
Personal Thoughts:
I felt the tale was rather simplistic and not memorable due to lack of character development. Armand is the only character who has any definition or life. It would perhaps be suitable for a cozy Christmas tale by the fire, but I wasn't very captivated by it. I really didn't appreciate the end-justifying-the-means mentality that is throughout the book.
Possible Objectionable Content:
Dishonesty - Armand lies to and about the children several times (sometimes he regrets it, other times he sees it as necessary)
Religion - A story is told about St. Sara and the characters attend a Christmas Eve Mass
Other - An older man who is a stranger to the children takes care of them without the mother knowing; a character steals food; the gypsies steal and it is excused or even portrayed positively; Armand does things with the children and tells them not to tell their mother (!); negative portrayal of policemen and gypsies running from the police
Recommended for children: 1
My personal rating: 2
Objectionable content: 4
Read if You Like:
- Holiday tales - this one takes place at Christmastime.
- Beautiful evocative illustrations - the amazing Garth Brooks illustrated the copy I read and his art is simply perfect.
- Stories that include gypsies - they are caricatures in this book, but still entrancing and enigmatic.
Don't Read if You Dislike:
- Moral ambiguousness - the characters make sinful decisions at times that are excused or even portrayed in a positive light.
Personal Thoughts:
I felt the tale was rather simplistic and not memorable due to lack of character development. Armand is the only character who has any definition or life. It would perhaps be suitable for a cozy Christmas tale by the fire, but I wasn't very captivated by it. I really didn't appreciate the end-justifying-the-means mentality that is throughout the book.
Possible Objectionable Content:
Dishonesty - Armand lies to and about the children several times (sometimes he regrets it, other times he sees it as necessary)
Religion - A story is told about St. Sara and the characters attend a Christmas Eve Mass
Other - An older man who is a stranger to the children takes care of them without the mother knowing; a character steals food; the gypsies steal and it is excused or even portrayed positively; Armand does things with the children and tells them not to tell their mother (!); negative portrayal of policemen and gypsies running from the police
Recommended for children: 1
My personal rating: 2
Objectionable content: 4
December 27, 2025
Armand is happy to live the free life of a hobo in Paris. He has no ties, takes odd jobs and begs for a few coins to buy food, and he sleeps under a bridge. But when a homeless mother with three young children takes up a corner of his bridge, Armand is worried that he will get tangled up in their problems. The children start to call him "grandpa", and before long Armand is entertaining the children and teaching them to sing for coins on street corners while their mother is working during the day. The children are sure that Father Christmas will give them a house for their Christmas present, so Armand decides to find some way to get the family a true home.
I liked this sweet story of a tramp finding a new family and changing his life to be more responsible and take care of them. Armand is not too picky about stealing and shoplifting a bit of food here and there, and he has some gypsy friends who outright steal all kinds of things. But by the end of the story, Armand has turned over a new leaf, and hopefully is not stealing anymore since he gets a steady job.
The children are really sweet and trusting, and it was interesting to see how they adapt very quickly to their new situation. Their little shenanigans were very cute!
The writing is lovely and poignant, dealing gently with the very difficult subject of homelessness. But the best part of this book is the beautiful artwork from Garth Williams! I really enjoyed seeing the characters come to life in the illustrations.
I liked this sweet story of a tramp finding a new family and changing his life to be more responsible and take care of them. Armand is not too picky about stealing and shoplifting a bit of food here and there, and he has some gypsy friends who outright steal all kinds of things. But by the end of the story, Armand has turned over a new leaf, and hopefully is not stealing anymore since he gets a steady job.
The children are really sweet and trusting, and it was interesting to see how they adapt very quickly to their new situation. Their little shenanigans were very cute!
The writing is lovely and poignant, dealing gently with the very difficult subject of homelessness. But the best part of this book is the beautiful artwork from Garth Williams! I really enjoyed seeing the characters come to life in the illustrations.
August 28, 2025
Children! Pah! Children were like starlings—witless, twittering, little pests. Besides, children meant homes and responsibilities and regular work and Armand was perfectly content living under a bridge in the city he loves more than anything else. But his perfect life changes when a gypsy woman grabs his arm and says, “You will meet with adventure today.” Then Armand meets three red-headed children, a shaggy dog that should have been white, and a proud mother determined to keep her family together. Oh, lá, lá! Adventure has certainly found Armand!
Recipient of the 1959 John Newbery Medal, The Family Under the Bridge is a charming, heartwarming story set against the backdrop of the picturesque and historic city of Paris. Natalie Savage Carlson’s story is brimming with the sights, sounds, and smells of one of the world’s most romantic cities and gives us a curmudgeon with a heart of gold through our reluctant hero, Armand Pouly. Despite his most valiant efforts, Armand opens his home and heart to this irresistible brood and becomes all the better for it.
The author sets her story during Christmas time, which is fitting as it is the season of hope, faith, and family. Family is a strong theme throughout Carlson’s book, as the children and their mother struggle against financial and social pressures to stay together. As the eldest child, Suzy, is always saying, “We’re a family and we have to stick together.” Themes of humility, kindness, and pride also permeate this lovely story as the children’s mother lets go of her pride to accept the help she greatly needs and Armand realizes that perhaps having your heart stolen by starlings isn’t such a bad thing after all.
Perhaps Armand himself sums it up best when he says, “It isn’t walls and furniture that make a home. It’s the family.” Armand always wanted adventure. Little did he know at the time that the family under the bridge would provide him with the adventure of a lifetime.
Recipient of the 1959 John Newbery Medal, The Family Under the Bridge is a charming, heartwarming story set against the backdrop of the picturesque and historic city of Paris. Natalie Savage Carlson’s story is brimming with the sights, sounds, and smells of one of the world’s most romantic cities and gives us a curmudgeon with a heart of gold through our reluctant hero, Armand Pouly. Despite his most valiant efforts, Armand opens his home and heart to this irresistible brood and becomes all the better for it.
The author sets her story during Christmas time, which is fitting as it is the season of hope, faith, and family. Family is a strong theme throughout Carlson’s book, as the children and their mother struggle against financial and social pressures to stay together. As the eldest child, Suzy, is always saying, “We’re a family and we have to stick together.” Themes of humility, kindness, and pride also permeate this lovely story as the children’s mother lets go of her pride to accept the help she greatly needs and Armand realizes that perhaps having your heart stolen by starlings isn’t such a bad thing after all.
Perhaps Armand himself sums it up best when he says, “It isn’t walls and furniture that make a home. It’s the family.” Armand always wanted adventure. Little did he know at the time that the family under the bridge would provide him with the adventure of a lifetime.
September 21, 2011
My son and I both loved this book. The writing is wonderful and the illustrations by Garth Williams are darling.
The story begins with a hobo who does not like children. He returns home to his spot under a Paris bridge to find three children and their mother living there. It is a gentle book, but the theme is homelessness, which is always a difficult subject. Be prepared for lots of questions from your child.
It takes place during the days around Christmas, so you may want to read it then. HOWEVER the book hints at the nonexistence of Father Christmas--so be prepared for that, too.
Anyway, definitely a winner.
Editted to add: This book avoids very real problems of homelessness, like alcoholism or inability to find a job. But I think if it had included serious problems it would not have been appropriate for the target age of seven through ten.
The story begins with a hobo who does not like children. He returns home to his spot under a Paris bridge to find three children and their mother living there. It is a gentle book, but the theme is homelessness, which is always a difficult subject. Be prepared for lots of questions from your child.
It takes place during the days around Christmas, so you may want to read it then. HOWEVER the book hints at the nonexistence of Father Christmas--so be prepared for that, too.
Anyway, definitely a winner.
Editted to add: This book avoids very real problems of homelessness, like alcoholism or inability to find a job. But I think if it had included serious problems it would not have been appropriate for the target age of seven through ten.
January 5, 2023
Read-aloud with my 3rd grade son. A short story set during Christmas / New Year about family and responsibility - and how those aren't things to fear.
November 1, 2018
This was a fun little read that I read almost all on Sunday morning! :) I haven't read it in years and decided to again! Very fun and I recommend! :)
March 5, 2025
Absolutely charming! Lots of great conversations with my almost kindergartener. The ending had me a little teary.
July 19, 2022
A wonderful book to read aloud to or with students. It passed my favorite test of books: I read it to my nephews and they were fascinated.
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