When Sam goes to Chinatown with his mother to shop for New Year's Day, he carries the four dollar bills his grandparents gave him in bright red leisees , just in case he should find something to buy with his newly acquired wealth. Four dollars seems like a lot of money to him until he sees the prices on things he wants in the toy shop. But the money turns out to be lucky for Sam afer all when he finds just the right way to spend it. Karen Chinn's charming story of a young boy's first understanding of value is accompanied by expressive watercolors which capture the bustling excitement of Chinatown on New Year's Day, as well as Sam's many moods. (Ages 4-7)

This year Sam gets to spend his New Year's gift money any way he chooses. Shopping carefully in his favorite Chinatown stores, he is disappointed to find that everything he wants is too expensive. Deciding to forgo a tasty sweet or a new toy for himself, Sam donates his money instead to a barefoot homeless man. Full color.