In 1892, nine-year-old Dom’s mother puts him on a ship leaving Italy, bound for America. He is a stowaway, traveling alone and with nothing o...
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reviews
Mar 08, 2011
Jackie
rated it: 
In 1892, life was bleak, people were poor, and struggled every day to survive. At just 9 years-old, Dom was living in Italy with his family...a family who adored him, cared for him, and wanted only the best for him. His mother was his world. But, for whatever reason, Dom's mother thought it best he be sent to America, where life was better. She could only afford passage for one. And so, Dom finds himself alone in New York, trying to survive.
He survives by the skin of his nose, using More...
He survives by the skin of his nose, using More...
Apr 12, 2011
I choose this book because it looked like a good book but when I previewed it, it sounded like a war book in some was and I love war but it is not about war at all. Historyicul fiction. A whos mom wants him to go to the U.S.A and he does and ends up by himself sleeping in a back ally in a barel. The main character is a sweet little boy who lives by himself and trys hes best to find food for himself and ends up getting beat up a lot for no reason. ones he meats his frined Guoto they become good f
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Aug 23, 2011
Melanie
rated it:
Nine-year-old Beniamino loves his over-crowded, poor but happy life. He knows his mother has trouble because she is an unmarried mother and he has no known father. He realizes the extent of the situation when his mother sneaks him onto a cargo ship to America, by himself. When he reaches America he tries everything he can think of to get back to Napoli, Italy.
He eventually realizes that he will need a ticket to get back on a ship. He starts a small business by purchasing a large sandwi More...
He eventually realizes that he will need a ticket to get back on a ship. He starts a small business by purchasing a large sandwi More...
May 07, 2009
Jen
rated it:
This was a very interesting book about how life may have been for immigrants coming to America. A young boy gets stowed away on a cargo ship by his mother. He thinks that she is somewhere on the ship going with him to America. When he arrives he can't find her and believes that her not being there must have been a mistake. He is determined to go back to Italy the first chance he gets. He ends up sleeping in a barrell. He makes a couple of friends and they end up setting up a sandwhich sell
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Aug 30, 2010
Christina
rated it: 
Nine year old Benjamino, a poor boy in 1892 Italy, is put on a ship by his mother and sent to America, not knowing his mother couldn't afford a second ticket for her. He arrives in New York City and struggles to survive, getting robbed by thugs and living in garbage cans in the slums. Gradually he adapts to his new life as he falls in with other street kids and develops a business selling sandwiches, trying to raise enough money to send for his mom. A really interesting adventure story about a l
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Feb 25, 2010
Jean
rated it:
I usually find Napoli depressing, but I liked this well written, well researched historical fiction novel based on her paternal grandfather who immigrated from Italy. Yes, it was somewhat depressing but overall it was upbeat and optimistic. The idea of a nine year old earning his fortune by selling sandwiches reminded me of the Creepy Crawler Plastigoop set I got for Christmas one year. My brother, Norm, turned it into a business selling Creep Crawlers at school :) Capitalism at its finest!
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Sep 24, 2008
Jon
rated it: 
I'm currently reading this to my children since I wanted something a bit more non-fiction-ish for them (and historical fiction is the best I could come up with). So far it's been an engaging story that my kids are really into. We're learning a lot about Jewish culture (the protagonist is a young Jewish boy) and about immigrants in America. We just finished a few chapters on Ellis Island and reading them gave us a chance to talk about the procedures that new arrivals went through as they entered
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Jul 25, 2008
Rafael Santos
7/25/2008
Donna Jo Napoli
The King of Mulberry Street
Dona Jo Napoli’s Story of “The King of Mulberry Street” is a very attention grabbing novel, which forces the reader to read straight through. This is the type of novel that causes your pulse to race, and keeps you glued to the book waiting to see what will happen next.
Nine year old Benjamino’s finds his passage in to America on a ship that carries away from the securities of a poor More...
7/25/2008
Donna Jo Napoli
The King of Mulberry Street
Dona Jo Napoli’s Story of “The King of Mulberry Street” is a very attention grabbing novel, which forces the reader to read straight through. This is the type of novel that causes your pulse to race, and keeps you glued to the book waiting to see what will happen next.
Nine year old Benjamino’s finds his passage in to America on a ship that carries away from the securities of a poor More...
Aug 18, 2009
Danie
rated it:
Young Dom is put aboard a ship bound for America by his (perhaps well-meaning) mother. He is only nine when he arrives at Ellis Island without a family and without a clue. He heads to Mulberry street (where the Napolitano Italians live) and befriends two boys and slowly finds ways to survive...based loosely on the authors ancestors. I say this book was lovely.
Jan 11, 2011
Dotty
rated it:
His mother put him on a ship to America when he was 9 years old. Alone. With the clothes on his back and his first pair of shoes. There was no one to meet him. No one to guide him. Most boys in his situation ended up the property of a padroni, a man who forced his boys to beg for money and beat them if there wasn’t enough money in their cup.
Nov 13, 2009
Rae
rated it:
A nine-year-old Italian Jewish boy is put on board a ship (headed to America) by his mother. It's her way of providing some sort of future opportunity for her son. He lands in New York and must learn to survive on the streets. He becomes a sandwich-selling entrepreneur, modeling the author's grandfathers who did something very similar when they arrived in America. I loved this book.
Jul 24, 2011
Michael
rated it:
Carefully researched, full of Italian sayings and historical information about immigrant New York in the late 1800s. This book would be a great read aloud and too difficult for all but the most savvy fifth grade readers. There are violent scenes of child abuse and heart-wrenching despair.
Jan 03, 2011
Andy
rated it:
It's not easy to read, since it is pretty dark and depressing at times. It's a rough tale, but that is the point. Overall, I found it to be an outstanding story of a young boy overcoming tremendous conflicts - external and internal - to create a new life in a very tough environment.
Aug 24, 2010
Ashly
rated it:
At first I wasn't sure I truly enjoyed the author's writing style- but the vivid historical detailing she provided made me feel as if I was there experiencing life alongside Dom- and additionally, has made me more interested in the early immigration through Ellis Island.
May 08, 2009
Fashiongirlgoldberg
rated it:
it was a pretty good book, I enjoyed it. I have to say, Dom has an evil mother if she was willing to send him off to America all alone not knowing English and only nine years old! I suppose she might have meant well (although I'm not sure how), but come on! Your own son!
Jan 06, 2011
Caroline
rated it:
Also read this because the author visited my classroom. It's a story of a boy whose mother sends him alone on a boat from Italy to New York. He's 9 years old and somehow figures out how to survive in America by himself. It actually made me quite sad at the end.
Jan 20, 2011
Sandy
rated it:
Fantastic story about a boy immigrating to the United States alone with just a good pair of shoes. What a great book this would be as a warm up to a unit on U.S. History/Immigration. It's not all happy....but ends well - don't want to spoil it for you.
Jun 04, 2010
Jill
rated it:
A really good book. Obviously the author loves her use of the Italian language. She tells a good tale based on her research. Thoughtful, touching, I enjoy almost any book that engages me and makes me want to be a better person. Definitely enjoyed.
Sep 27, 2009
Cheryl
rated it:
This book gives a wonderfully researched portrayal of immigrants during the early nineteenth century. This book would be a great read for a history class or for people interested in learning about the experiences of their own immigrant ancestors.
Dec 28, 2010
Candice
rated it:
YA. recommended by my mother-in-law. Loved this book! A young boy is sent over to American from Europe alone at the turn of the century. He figures out how to survive the streets and how to earn money and save it. Very touching.
Jan 01, 2012
Cathy
rated it:
This was the next book Carter and I had to read for school bookclub. Their section is on immigration so this is a story about a boy immigrating from Italy in 1892. I thought it was fabulous!
Oct 21, 2011
Julie
rated it:
unbelievable!
great story of
little boy italian
immigrants on the
streets, using their
wits to survive!!!
(actual story of
ms. napoli's own
grandfather...)
excellent!!!
great story of
little boy italian
immigrants on the
streets, using their
wits to survive!!!
(actual story of
ms. napoli's own
grandfather...)
excellent!!!
Jul 01, 2010
Katherine
rated it:
I loved this book!!! It was very amazing very vivid i read it a long time ago but loved it so much it was top on my Christmas list =)
Mar 22, 2010
Mary
rated it:
I loved this book - Ms. Napoli's descriptions and characters were wonderful - I felt like I was in the story when I was reading it.
Mar 24, 2008
Becky
rated it: 
King of Mulberry street is good, but not top of the food chain, December 25, 2007
What would you do if you were stranded in a country where you didn't speak the language or know anyone? Well the King of Mulberry street is about an opportunistic kid who faces these as well as many challenges. This book was a good story but didn't really have too much suspense or action in it. I didn't have trouble putting it down but wouldn't rate is as poorly written. I can see h More...
What would you do if you were stranded in a country where you didn't speak the language or know anyone? Well the King of Mulberry street is about an opportunistic kid who faces these as well as many challenges. This book was a good story but didn't really have too much suspense or action in it. I didn't have trouble putting it down but wouldn't rate is as poorly written. I can see h More...
Aug 22, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
Wow! Not the kind of book I ususally read, but I learned a lot...and enjoyed it too. Strange and unusual experience for me:)
Oct 29, 2009
Momruns5
rated it:
Very good historical fiction about immigrants in the early 1900's in New York. Children didn't have it very easy back then. Definitely a YA, a little too easy.
Nov 12, 2008
Jaclyn
rated it:
As I was reading this story of an immigrant boy fighting at first to merely survive and then to thrive in New York City I was reminded of Horatio Alger's "Ragged Dick." Dom is a kind, likeable character with a strong moral foundation who is determined to succeed despite his unbelievably bleak circumstances. This book had everything; adventure, humor and heartbreak. My only criticism is that the main character's Jewish heritage is emphasized and developed in the beginning of the stor
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