Peppe the Lamplighter [Hardcover]

Elisa Bartone (Author), Ted Lewin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 1993 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Peppe becomes a lamplighter to help support his immigrant family in turn-of-the-century New York City, despite his papa's disapproval. But when Peppe's job helps save his little sister, he earns the respect of his entire family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bartone deftly vivifies a slice of American history--and the immigrant experience--in this touching story of a boy's quest to win his sick father's respect. In New York City's Little Italy at the turn of the century, Peppe must support his eight sisters and cantankerous father. His job as lamplighter takes on mythic proportions as he brings light to the streets--"a small flame of promise for the future"--and eventually drives away the doubts that darken his father's heart. With its evocative descriptions of an earlier era, Bartone's thoughtful, fluid text, while uniquely personal, is universal in scope. Lewin's dramatically rendered watercolors, their grim realism shot through with lamplight, perfectly suit the mood. These detailed street scenes, with their honest faces and authentic period garb, exhibit a cinematic sweep that proves quite remarkable. (Interior scenes, rich in the play of light and shadow, are equally striking.) The story ends on a sentimental note, but the earnest paintings keep it from seeming trite. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-- Peppe, a young immigrant, lives in a tenement in Little Italy in the early 1900s. His mother is dead, his father is ill, and the boy must help support his eight sisters. The street lamplighter offers him a temporary job, and Peppe accepts with pride and excitement. His father disapproves, but the girls encourage him. Peppe imagines each light to be "a small flame of promise for the future" and makes a wish for those he loves at each lamp. His father's continued disapproval discourages him and makes him so ashamed that one night he gives up. This night, his youngest sister does not come home because she is afraid of the dark. Peppe's father then pleads with him to light the lamps, admitting it is an important job. This is a pleasant story about a boy's aspirations and the values that shape character. The brilliant color illustrations are perfect in capturing the flavor of the neighborhood. They give a strong sense of time and place. The play of light from the streetlamps and kerosene lamps is especially striking, and the composition of each page is so embracing that readers will feel taken in, whether it is an interior scene or a sweeping streetscape. A solid, refreshing selection that can stand on its own, but would be great to use with immigrant studies. --Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard; 1st edition (April 26, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688102689
• ISBN-13: 978-0688102685
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,235,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How simple lamplighting helps the community., May 25, 1999

By 

R. D. Allison ([e-mail]) (Gainesville, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peppe the Lamplighter (Hardcover)

A children's book about immigrant life in Little Italy in lower Manhattan around 1900. A young boy gets a job as a lamplighter to help bring in income for his family. His father doesn't like it but comes to recognize its value and contributions to the community. The book is beautifully and authentically illustrated by Ted Lewis and it was a 1994 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book for children. Children come to appreciate the importance of all jobs.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning artwork makes this book special, January 2, 2002

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Peppe the Lamplighter (Paperback)

"Peppe the Lamplighter" combines a story by Elisa Bartone with illustrations by Ted Lewin. The story takes place "[a] long time ago when there was no electricity and the street lamps in Little Italy had to be lit by hand." The hero of the book is Peppe, who lives with his widowed father and sisters in a tenement. Peppe's decision to get a job as a lamplighter leads to conflict between Peppe and his father.

This is a good story that is greatly enhanced by Lewin's superb artwork. Most of the illustrations are two-page spreads that are packed full of energy and emotion. Lewin's realistic style is well-suited to capturing many colorful details: the sausages hanging in the butcher shop, a crowded street scene, the old-fashioned iron stove in Peppe's home, etc. Overall, a memorable celebration of Italian-American history.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Children's Italian History, July 12, 2000

By 

"cchisholm" (Fort Atkinson, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Peppe the Lamplighter (School & Library Binding)

As a collector of children's books, I was delighted to come across this beautifully illustrated story of an Italian family in early America, before electricity. It is historically correct, spiritually uplifting, and reinforces the value of hard work, regardless of your age or ability.