One Can

by Lana Button, Eric Walters, Isabelle Malenfant (Illustrator)

A child donates a can of food to their school food drive. But in an unexpected twist, they come to understand what it means to give and receive.


A child is excited to donate a can of their favorite Zoodelicious to the school food drive. Their teacher has explained that the food will be given to people in need, along with mittens from the “mitten tree.”


In the classroom, there’s a carpet with one hundred squares, and the goal is to fill each square with a can of food. When the child places their can of Zoodelicious on square 100, everyone cheers, and the teacher puts a snowflake sticker on top to celebrate.


But a few days later, the child finds the same can of Zoodelicious among the groceries their mom has brought home. There’s a pair of red mitts, too. “Mom, are we the people in need?” the child asks.


The next morning, after having thought of all the people who will receive food from the school and wondering what else they might need, the child donates their too-small blue mittens to the mitten tree at school.


Created by an award-winning team, One Can tells a timely and touching story of a child who learns to give and receive—and wants only to give again in return.







Key Text Features


dialogue


illustrations


 


Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language


CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3


Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

Genres: Picture Books, Poverty, Food, Canada, Childrens, School

35 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

Lana Button is an award-winning children's author of several picture books as well as a presenter and early childhood educator. The New York Times describes Lana's book TOUGH LIKE MUM (Tundra, 2021) as a "tender tale that imparts that asking for help shows toughness too." Kirkus says the book is "powerful in its vulnerability."
Lana's super fun read-aloud THE COW SAID BOO! (Pajama Press, 2021) is described by Kirkus as "an infectious seasonal read-aloud."
Her first book, WILLOW'S WHISPERS (Kids Can Press, 2010) was described by Kirkus as "A victory for any reader who struggles to be heard, even metaphorically"
Lana strives to support, inspire and entertain her young readers. The Globe and Mail said, "It's easy to forget that my kids think their problems are as massive as I think my own are. Button never does. To her enormous credit, she's written a book that speaks directly to their experience."
When Lana isn't writing for young children, she can often be found presenting messages of empathy, resilience and understanding to children through virtual and in-person author visits. She believes that now, more than ever, we can all use a little more story time!

Reviews

[Kandice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart! All the stars ✨

One of the best perks of working at a library is seeing what people have recently returned. That’s how I came across this beautiful and poignant picture book.

The front cover immediately made me think of a canned food drive and I had to see what exactly this story was about. We’re heading into the holiday season and a few committees I sit on, either at work or my son’s school, often host coat and food drives leading up to the holidays.

I quickly flipped through the pages at the front desk and had tears in my eyes. I loved the message and decided to check it out and bring it home to share with my family. Well, I tried reading it to them, but I was sobbing! Such simple words and pictures sensitively describe food insecurity.

I’m encouraging my thirteen year old to share this at the next student council meeting and I will definitely be gifting this book to many people.

Do yourself a favour and check it out at your local library. If they don’t have a copy, request one.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple but powerful story. Lana Button is always money in the bank when it comes to writing books about realistic situations that kids face, but this one might be her best one yet!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Can is the beautifully written story of a child who learns the deeper meaning of generosity. It is powerful in its simplicity and it convey a compassionate message in a story that even young children can understand. Co-writers Lana and Eric are both award-winning children’s book authors and it shows in the writing of this wonderful book. Highly recommend this book and I hope that it finds its way into schools across Canada.

[Natalia Paruzel-Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE CAN by Lana Button & Eric Walters (illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant) is the kind of picture book that stays with you.

It opens the door to conversations about food insecurity in a gentle, age-appropriate way, reminding us that even the smallest hands can make a big difference.

Through accessible language and moving illustrations, this story follows a child who receives help when it’s needed most, then discovers the joy of giving back.

It’s a powerful message of empathy, dignity, and hope, and the ending? It truly got me.

This book encourages young readers to not only understand need but to respond to it with kindness. ONE CAN is a quiet but mighty reminder that helping others extends beyond charity, it’s community.

[Emily Cait · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received access to an ARC from the publishers through work.

A gentle, child-appropriate look at food insecurity and the importance of passing kindnesses forwards when you are in a position to do so.

[Maggie Zeng · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great way to teach children the meaning of generosity and giving. It has an unexpected turn of events as the main character comes to understand that his family also lives off of donated items, and it presents this difficult reality in a very tactful way. Really liked it!

[Jennifer Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is very important, and the protagonist has a strong relatable voice. The turn in the story is really well done. It's a story of compassion which reinforces the idea that everyone needs help sometimes.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child’s school is having a canned food drive and mitten tree.  The child is excited to help and brings in a can of their favorite soup “Zoodelicious”, even though it is their last can and their mom warns them that she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to replace it.  The child is even more excited when their can is the class’s 100th, their teacher puts a special snowflake sticker on the top, and everyone celebrates.  The child is surprised later, however, when their mom comes home with groceries and a can of “Zoodelicious” soup with a snowflake sticker in the bag, and a pair of red mittens from the mitten tree and learns that they are “in need” right now. Mom explains that they get help when they need it and give when they can, which leads the child to put their beloved too-small blue mittens on the mitten tree with a special note.

The twist in this story is extremely well done.  It illustrates the importance of the message that you never really know who is in need and that we can all be in need at various times in our lives.  Malenfant’s simple illustrations reinforce the idea that need is not obvious and people in need can look just like our friends and neighbors. I especially liked how after learning they were someone “in need”, the child turns around and continues to give what they can - an important message of kindness and care for one another.  This book avoids shame at needing assistance or bestowing superiority in the privilege to give; it’s a wonderful story for introducing the concepts of economic differences and food insecurity to younger children.The fact that the child remains genderless throughout the story is also well done. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a food drive at school and our narrator wants to participate. So they grab a can of their favorite noodles from the pantry. It's the last can - and mom warns it might be a while before they can get more. But this is for people in need so only the best! There is a carpet in the classroom with one hundred squares and the goal is to fill up all one hundred. The can of noodles is the one hundredth can! And the teacher puts a snowflake sticker on top. The child wonders how far the cans will have to go.
There is also a mitten tree and the mittens get bagged up to go along with the can.
A few days later, mom comes home with a bag of groceries and there is a can of favorite noodles! But there is a snowflake sticker on top of the can. Are they a family in need?

Mom explains that everyone can go through periods of needing help and then, when situations change, it's time to give help to others.

A thought provoking book that puts giving and receiving in the spotlight and can be instrumental in helping kids truly empathize with those in need.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Can, written by Lana Button and Eric Walters, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, is a powerful story of giving and receiving. A boy looks forward to donating his favorite food, a can of Zoodelicious, to a food drive at his school. He’s excited by it, and how his teacher has the students set the cans down on a colorful rug to count them. He doesn’t even care that it’s his last can and his mom may not get any more cans soon. When the boy later finds out that he and his mom are people in need, he just wants to give more. This book has a beautiful message about generosity, sharing, and empathy.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story about food insecurity and helping people in need when you can. I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending and the way it tied up with the mitten tree, so that is the reason I gave it a lower rating.

It did make me think about how all the kids in school are pressured to bring stuff for those in need and how some may give things they don’t have to give to just feel normal at school. There is that constant pressure all the time for everyone now to give everywhere you go, and I never thought of how that impacted kids in school—that he gives at the end has people applauding, but I don’t know that it should.

[Sylvia McNicoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iconic author Eric Walters and renowned picture book and early chapter writer Lana Button team up with award winning illustrator Isabelle Malenfant to create an authentic story of empathy and resilience. All of us will fall on some kind of hard times in our lifetime. How do we armour our children for these times when we have so much? Here's a book that can open discussion as to what it means to have less and yet still have kindness and generosity in our hearts. A wonderful affirmation to parents who shield their children from harsh realities even as they struggle.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a captivating, thought-provoking, and poignant story about helping families in need. In this child's classroom there's a carpet with squares where each child contributes a can for those in need. The character is committed to donate a can of their favorite meal, Zoodelicious. In a twist ending (I won't reveal) readers learn to consider the important understanding of giving and receiving with grace.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

When his class is having a food drive, a young boy is excited to share the last can of his favorite soup, even though his mother says she's not sure when she can get more. When the can finds its way right back to him, he makes a startling discovery about who the people are that need help once in a while.

I love the premise of this story and the publishers indigenous land acknowledgement. However, the concept of how food donations and food banks work was completely eliminated.

[Barbra · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a young boy contributes to a food drive, he is surprised to find the can he donated is in mom’s grocery bag. His mom explains that although they require help now, they can still contribute to those in need. At school he takes his new mitts and puts them as a gift for someone else. This heart-warming picture book is filled with softly coloured illustrations and a wonderful message to young children about empathy, giving, and receiving appreciatively.

[Kirsten Pendreigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, thought-provoking, de-stigmatizing and powerful story of a child learning about how we can all help each other in our communities. I really think this belongs in every classroom. The authors and illustrator leave room for readers to figure out what is going on and by doing so, feel empathy and make connections to their own families and classrooms. Highly recommend!!

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gentle yet powerful story is essential for every school bookshelf. It presents food insecurity in a accessible way for children - allowing those living with it to be seen and those who are not to have a better understanding.

[Alison McGauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful and moving story of caring, kindness and sharing. Children will relate to this young character who takes pride in helping others and who realizes that sometimes we all need a little help. Readers will adore this young boy as well as the warm, expressive illustrations.

[Casey Lyall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story about giving and compassion and what it means to be a helper. It covers some big, emotional topics in such a perfect way for little readers. I really loved the sweet illustrations as well.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming tale about food scarcity told with sensitivity. The young narrator donates his own can of Zoodelicious noodles to the food drive, only to find that it comes back to him and his mom. “Are we the people in need?” he asks. A story of giving and receiving with grace and kindness.

[Lauren Zygowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story, a class holds a can drive, and a child donates his favorite noodle can. Later, he discovers that he and his mom are among those in need when the same can comes back to him. It’s a powerful way to highlight the role of food banks and the realities of economic hardship.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple but touching story of a child excited to participate in his classrooms food drive, only to find out that his family is one that is in need.

Nice that he still donates the mittens he out grew, on the mitten tree.

[Brandan Radford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read an ARC received at a conference. Super cute story about finding your own way to give back and support those in need.

[Heidi McFadzean · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! It sensitively deals with the topic of being in need, and shows the pure-hearted response of a child.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be in every classroom and shared with kids everywhere! Thanks for writing such a wonderful book about a very important topic.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

[Analene Go · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘One Can’ will tug at your heart strings, following a food drive to collect 100 cans, and a little’s boy’s generous heart as he learns about his situation and his sharing community.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad, sweet and very accessible

[Sandra Appleby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful play on words in a story of giving and receiving that highlights how one can make a difference with just one can.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching embodiment of what America needs right now.
Someone find my box of tissues to wipe away my tears.