
By Elisa Bartone, Ted Lewin (Illustrator)
A boy's lamplighter job defies his father's dreams but becomes crucial one fateful night.
In turn-of-the-century New York, young Peppe takes a job as a lamplighter to support his struggling immigrant family. His father disapproves, questioning if this was the American dream. But when Peppe's nightly task unexpectedly saves his little sister, the job's true value is revealed. Can Peppe earn his father's respect and illuminate more than just the streets of Little Italy? Discover how a simple job becomes a beacon of hope and family unity in this touching tale of resilience and redemption.
A long time ago when there was no electricity and the streetlamps in Little Italy had to be lit by hand, Peppe lived in a tenement on Mulberry Street. His family was poor, and so, though he was just a boy, he needed to find work. But a job as a lamplighter was not what his father had dreamed of for Peppe. “Did I come to America for my son to light the streetlamps?” he fumed - until, one night, lighting the streetlamps became “the best job in America.”
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