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A Bandit's Tale
The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket
1 of 1 copy available
Eleven-year-old Rocco is an Italian immigrant who finds himself alone in New York City after he's sold to a padrone by his poverty-stricken parents. While working as a street musician, he meets the boys of the infamous Bandits' Roost, who teach him the art of pickpocketing. Rocco embraces his new life of crime—he's good at it, and it's more lucrative than banging a triangle on the street corner. But when he meets Meddlin' Mary, a strong-hearted Irish girl who's determined to help the horses of New York City, things begin to change. Rocco begins to reexamine his life—and take his future into his own hands.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
April 5, 2016 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780147521491
- File size: 202023 KB
- Duration: 07:00:52
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Narrator P.J. Ochlan embraces this spirited novel, documenting 11-year-old Rocco Zaccaro's adventures with such gusto and spunk that you'd swear you'd traveled back in time to 1887. The story begins with Rocco's removal from his home in Italy and his subsequent arrival in New York City, where he is to work as a street musician for his new padrone, Signor Ancarola. Ochlan paints a vivid picture of immigrant life and the trials Rocco undergoes trying to escape the horrible living conditions under his padrone. Capturing the characters' voices perfectly, Ochlan delivers Rocco's animated storytelling, the slang of his newfound gang of pickpockets, and the accents of the city's many immigrants, whether Irish, Scottish, German, English, or Italian. Historical notes, including a pickpocket's glossary, complete this excellent production. M.F.T. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from February 1, 2016
Rocco Zaccaro, the delightfully earnest narrator of this picaresque novel, never intended to become a “true guttersnipe” on the streets of 1880s New York City. Then again, he never intended to leave Italy until the day his family could no longer afford to care for him. After 11-year-old Rocco is sold into a life of slavery in this strange city, he joins a band of pickpockets to save enough money to break free from his destitute conditions. Rocco’s drive to prove himself and return to Italy steers him into a number of bad decisions, yet his heart guides him to fight injustices against both children and animals on the rough city streets: “As to whether I was good or bad, it should be quite apparent to you by now that I was far too muddled to know.” While Hopkinson (The Great Trouble) covers heavy topics including immigration, child labor, and animal
welfare, Rocco’s conversational voice resounds with humor, compassion, and an inspiring energy for change. A dynamic historical novel ideal for both classroom studies and pleasure reading. Ages 8–12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.
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