This book is based on true events of the effects WWII left in war torn Italy. This story follows the life of seven year old Amerigo Sperenza. It talks about his life with his mother until he hears about a train that will take him to a family up north that will take care of him. Most of the story is told through the eyes of a child showing you his innocence throughout the book. The rest of the book tells about his time with the new family and his adjustments. I was really excited to read this book because I'm a huge history fan. I ended up using this book to write a paper in my English class. The story truly shows just how devastating the World War II was and the affect it had on children at the time. I definitely would recommend this book to everyone. I will tell you that I knew i would love this book just by looking at the cover. It's just as interesting as the book.