Review Detail

Reader reviewed by bookworm9

A young orphaned gypsy-- later dubbed Misha-- wanders the streets of Warsaw stealing food. He cannot remember his past, and doesn't know much of anything until he falls in with a group of fellow young theives and urchins. An older boy named Uri keeps Misha safe until the Nazis round up the Jews and gypsies into a ghetto. Here, Misha finds that his small size and his ability to steal are very useful, and he helps to feed himself and the family of his young friend Janina, whom he comes to regard as a sister. When Janina's father charges Misha with protecting his daughter, Misha tries his best, but that may not be good enough.

This was a strange book. Spinelli's books are usually humorous, and while this topic is not one that lends itself to comedy, he does attempt to create his usual bumbling, child-hating adults. Misha is naive rather than goofy, and his relationship with Janina is poignant but never sentimental. The story was good, but the ending, which flashes forward to present-day Misha, seemed far-fetched and unnecessary.