Peppe the Lamplighter | Pine Tree Academy Library | TinyCat |

2024-04-19 10:44 am

Peppe the Lamplighter

by Elisa Bartone

Other authorsTed Lewin (Illustrator)

Paperback, 1993

Status

Check shelf

Call number

E B

Genres

Children's Books

Publication

HarperCollins (1997), 32 pages

Description

Peppe's father is upset when he learns that Peppe has taken a job lighting the gas street lamps in his New York City neighborhood.

Local notes

0000-0207-7482

Media reviews

Kirkus

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1993) At a time when streetlamps are lit by hand, Peppe lives in New York's Little Italy. With Mamma dead, Papa ill, and seven sisters at home, times are hard; the tradespeople Peppe asks for work all turn him down. So when the lamplighter asks the boy to take his place

while he goes back to Italy, Peppe is overjoyed; at first, each lamp he lights is a wish for his family--that Assunta "learns good English in school," that Giulia marries well, that Nicolina finds work. But Papa is bitterly disappointed--"Did I come to America for my son to light the streetlamps?" Discouraged, Peppe leaves the lamps dark one night, only to learn that little Assunta has depended on the light to come home. Thus Peppe regains his self-respect--and Papa's approval. The economically told narrative gracefully incorporates many details of the setting, which is also splendidly realized in Lewin's luminous paintings. Peppe's lamps shine bravely in a tenement world where both night and interiors are dark, while clothing and street scenes arc also somber. Lewin's characterizations are subtle and telling; in his splendid compositions, the dramatic interplay of light and dark intensify the story's message of hope. A beautiful, moving book. 1993

— 1 more

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, May 1993 (Vol. 46, No. 9)) Peppe is a young boy living "a long time ago when there was no electricity and the streetlamps in Little Italy had to be lit by hand." Due to his father's illness Peppe must work to help support his

motherless family, and he eventually finds a job lighting those streetlamps. Peppe is dismayed when his father denigrates the job as menial street work, but eventually his youngest sister causes him and his father to regain pride in his work. The story avoids sentimentality in favor of simplicity and a touch of lyricism (when Peppe lights the lamps he imagines each one to be a "small flame of promise for the future"); Peppe's quiet quest for familial respect and pleasure in his work is touching and rhythmically written. The early-American city scenes are dark but have a nice period luminescence in the myriad street and table lamps, and the earth-toned watercolors lend the bustling streets and interiors of Little Italy an air both somber and lively. This is a pleasing kid-centered slice of history that possesses a warmth and dignity to which contemporary youngsters will relate. R--Recommended. (c) Copyright 1993, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1993, Lothrop, 32p, $13.93 and $14.00. Ages 5-8 yrs.

User reviews

LibraryThing member ac008233

This book was about a little boy who had to find a job to help supprt his family. His father was ashamed of the work he found untill it proved to be as important as any.This booked was about good work ethic and a selfless heart.
I related to this book because as a teeneager I had to get a part- time

job to help my mother after her divorce.In my opinion, the book was a little slow. It took to long to get to the point.
This would be a great teaching tool while dicussing doing good for others. The illustrations show the beauty of old Italy and discusses the days before electricity.

LibraryThing member kthomp25

Story of a large family with no mother and a sick father. The young son looks and looks for work and finally gets a job lighting the street lamps. His father, surprisingly, takes offense at the mundane work even though the family is desparate for money.

The illustrations portray the distant past in

a viabrant way and engage the reader, drawin them into the story.

LibraryThing member madelinelbaker

This book is a good example of realistic fiction book, because Peppe a fictional character deals with a real issue of needing money, but not wanting to work a job that is considered shameful to his father.

LibraryThing member jessicajlopez

This book wonderfully illustrates the living and working conditions of the late 1800's, early 1900's. It depicts the life of an Italian immigrant family living in the New York City tenements. Children learn the hardships of tenement and immigrant life, the differences between children in the early

20th century and contemporary children, and illustrates the importance of the family.

LibraryThing member faith42love

A very nice heart warming story. It reminds me of the parents today that push their children to be what they want them to be, not realizing (or not caring) they are making them unhappy. The book was beautifully illustrated as well.

LibraryThing member aprilbrittain

Peppe the Lamplighter is a story about a boy whose mother has died and his father is sick and can not work. He needs a job to help take care of his sister. After looking long and hard, he finds a job as the lamplighter. At first, his father did not approve of this job until one night Peppe little

sister was lost in the dark because Peppe did not light the lamps this night. From this night on, everyone knew just how important the lamplighter job is and Peppe is proud to be the one who does it.

I enjoyed reading this story because I feel that it is important for children to learn responsibility and this story teaches this lesson well. I also think that children today expect everything to be handed to them and this story shows how one little boy selflessly gets a job to help support his family.

This book can be used to show children how times were tough for immigrants and jobs were scarce. Also, in hard times, it takes the cooperation of the entire family to make ends meet. Another extension for this book would be for children to look at a map and see where New York is and then find where Italy is and see how far the immigrants had to travel to reach America and some of the hardships they might have faced when traveling.

LibraryThing member MsTebedoLovesReading

This is a charming story of a little boy named Peppe. He lives in new York with his migrant Italian family. The story is set in the early 1900's when so many people came to America with hopes of having a better life. peppe tries to find a job and on one needs him. He finally gets a job fromt he

local street lamplighter, Domenico. Domenico is going out of town and he asks Peppe to light the streetlights for him while he is gone. Peppe gladly excepts. He is so excited that he got a job he runs home to tell his family. They are all excited for him except for his father. He thinks that the lamplighter job is not good enough for Peppe and he tells him he is ashamed of him. Something happens to change his fathers mind (you have to read it to find out) and Peppe finally feels pride in being the street lamplighter.

I enjoyed this book. It has really good illustrations. It has a very good "life" lesson about the importance of "unimportant" jobs.

In the classroom I could use this in a History lesson. We could discuss the time in our history when people came from lots of other countries came to American in search of a better life. We could talk about Ellis Island in New York.

LibraryThing member mchristman

This is a good example of historical fiction because it tells about a fictional family in a historical era. Peppe and his family are Italian Americans trying to make a living in America at a time when many Europeans were moving to America.

LibraryThing member StephanieSerra

Summary:
Peppe is from Italy, their family moved to America for a better life and future. His mother passes away, so Peppe felt the need to find a job. He finds a job as a lamplighter. His father is not pleased with the job. One night Peppe decided not to light the city and people begin to ask

Peppe's father where is the lamplighter. Peppe's father then tells his son that its a good job and that he should go back to light the lamps since some people are scared of the dark. As Peppe lights the lamps he also says asks a wish and let a girl light the lamp.

Personal Response:
I really enjoyed the story since my parents are immigrants. I also liked how Peppe would wish for his father to be proud of him.

Classroom Extension:
1. Lesson plan on immigration.
2. Have students share where their families came from and maybe even also do a lesson plan on the importance of electricity.
3. Teach kids the importance of being confident.

LibraryThing member swimr23

Peppe the lamp lighter is about a poor family living in NYC. They dont have a lot of money and have about six children. Peppe decideds to find a job to help his family and ask's everyone, falling upon the lamp lighter. He found something he could finally do for his family.
I love this book. It

reminded me of my grandmother in germany. She had all my aunts and uncles and my cousins. We all worked together popping peas out and breaking beans, we all worked together like this family. The words are perfect and imaginative. You can really feel this book.
I would use this book if I was doing a section on depression in NYC. I would have them imagine their in NYC, during this time period, and write a story of one day in that life. Another way to use this book is to study the history of this time period and have them judge to see if this book is historically factual.

LibraryThing member IEliasson

The son of Italian immigrants, Peppe strives to support his family and gain his Papa’s approval by working as a lamplighter. Set in New York’s Little Italy, Peppe The Lamplighter’s murky and moody watercolor illustrations by Ted Lewin depict the hustle and bustle of 19th century urban life.

Disappointingly, Elisa Bartone’s story is more murky than its illustrations; as historical fiction, Peppe The Lamplighter does not provide the reader the social and cultural context necessary to understand the motivation of Papa’s disapproval of his son’s work. In the eyes of an Italian immigrant, what was shameful about work as lamplighter? How does Papa’s unnamed illness play into the dishonor he feels for his young son having to work? With so many daughters, some young adults, why do they not also work to help the family? Papa’s miraculous change of heart seems contrived for a man who was screaming out the window, “You’ll belong to the streets.” All in all, this reader can not endorse this picture book’s hackneyed chronicle of immigrant life, particularly when it depicts a father’s emotional abuse of a son.

LibraryThing member AshleyFletcher

"Peppe The Lamplighter" by Elisa Bartone. This is a story about a boy, his three sister's and their father. They moved to America to have a better life. However, things did not seem better with Peppe's father getting sick and his mother being dead, no one was bringing any money into the home. So

Peppe went out searching for a job everywhere but no luck. One day the lamplighter asked Peppe if he would light the lamps while he left town to go get his wife. Peppe was so excited he said yes and went home to tell everyone the good news. However, Peppe's father judged him and said he would become part of the streets and that he was not proud of him. Peppe was very upset but his sister's reassured Peppe he was doing a great thing. He began lighting the lamps each night and each night when he light the lamps he thought of each one as a little promise for each person he cared about. He would save the last lamp for a promise for him self. Yet, each night when Peppe got home his father would make comments making Peppe doubt what he was doing. So one night Peppe refused to go light the lamps and one of his sister's went missing. Everyone begged Peppe to go light the lamps but he did not want to. Then his father said please Peppe go light the lamps because your sister is scared of the dark and that is why she is not home. So Peppe went and starting lighting all the lamps saying a little promise with each lamp lit. When Peppe came to the last lamp he lights for his promise there was his little sister. She asked Peppe why he had not lit the lamps earlier and he apologized. Peppe carried his little sister home safely and his father expressed how proud he was of Peppe and how he hoped he continued lighting the street lamps.

This was a good story that kept my attention and I wanted to know what happens next. I can not say I relate to this book. I can appreciate that fact that a little boy is willing to go to work because his father is too sick. Is it hard to make ends meat in the society today and getting a job is hard but if a little boy can do it that it may encourage children to understand the importance of taking care of your family.

In the classroom, I can have my students write a paper on what kind of job they would do to take care of their family if no one else was able to work. I can also have them bring in their parents for a career day!

LibraryThing member kj117629

This book is about Peppe, a boy from Little Italy. His mother is dead, and his father is sick. Peppe helps take care of his eight sisters. Peppe went in search of a job. No one was hiring-times were hard. Peppe came across Domenico, the lamplighter. This story was set back when there was no

electricity, so the towns light came from lamps on the corner of the streets, that had to be hand lit every night. Domenico asked Peppe if he could light the lamps for him so he could go to Italy to get his wife. Very excited, Peppe agreed. He ran home to tell his family he had finally found a job. His father was not pleased at all. He did not think this was a good enough job for Peppe, until one night Peppe's little sister went missing. Peppe's father encouraged him to go light the lamps so she could find her way home.

This book showed that every job, no matter how small it might seem, is important. Without Peppe, there would have been no light.

In the classroom I would have a "job fair". I would have the children write a small essay on what they would like to be when they grow up. I would also explain just like in the book that all jobs are important, no matter how small!

LibraryThing member sharletkanehl

Summary:
Peppe wants a job to help earn money for his family. He searches everywhere for a job, but has no luck finding one until he meets Domenico who offers him a job as a lamplighter. Peppe loves being a lamplighter, but gives up the job for one night because his father says that it isn’t

important work. Peppe’s sister gets lost in the dark and Peppe realizes that by lighting the street lamps she will be able to find her way home. So in the end, being a lamplighter is an important job after all.
Personal Reaction:
It is nice to find a book like this one that has both educational value and childlike appeal. I felt like many important life lessons were addressed in this book. Peppe was believable as a character, my niece even got teary-eyed when I read her Peppe’s story.
Extension Ideas:
1. I can use this book to have my students see the differences between present day American life and the way life was in the days of early America. My students can write down two examples from the book that illustrate American technological growth through the years.
2. I can have my student list examples of job titles that we have today that early Americans could not do.

LibraryThing member JordySizemordy

Summary

Peppe sets out to find a job. The only one he seems to find is a lamplighter on the streets. Every night he is supposed to go out and illuminate the pavement. His father is not proud of his work, so one night Peppe stops what he is doing and the streets remain dark. His sister gets lost in

the darkness, and them his family realizes Peppe's importance in the community.

Reaction

It can be hard to feel acceptance from family, and I am glad this book shows that it all works out in the end. Peppe tries to be responsible, and the lessons that a student can learn from this book are abundant.

Extension Ideas

Ask each student to journal about a job they are responsible for at home, and then write about what might happen if they were not able to do their job.

Use this book as a guide to introduce a unit on immigration, and the hardships that immigrants face when coming to a new country.

LibraryThing member tylerblount

Summary: This is a story about a family from Italy that is struggling to get by. The boy, Pepe, finds a job lighting the street lights but struggles with disappointing his father. He doesn't light the lamps one night and then finally his father convinces him that it really is a good job because the

dark scares some people. When he goes back out the next night to light the lamps, Assunta tells Pepe that he has the best job in America and that she wants to be like him.
Personal Reaction: This is a good story about the struggles that immigrants had to go through when they came to America. It gives good insight.
Classroom Extension: This could be used in a history lesson about immigrants. You can also teach about confidence and perseverance.

LibraryThing member berethalindsey

Peppe the Lamplighter is a story of a large poor Italian immigrant family. Peppe, a young boy, has seven sisters. His mother recently passed away, and his father is also sickly. Peppe must now assume the adult role of seeking employement. He seeked employment in several places before he became a

lamplighter.

One evening, he was proud to come home to announce to his family he finally found a job. All of his family is prouid except his father.
His father told him harsh harshly, he did not come to America so he can work in the streets and Peppe will not amount to anything.

Peppe eventually decided one night not to light the street lamps. The
city is in dark confusion. His sister does not make it home; she is alone in the dangerous darkness of night. Peppe, his father,and the entire town will soon learn how important Peppe job really is.

Classroom Extensions
1. The teacher to have the students research jobs that are non-traditional such as a bee keeper.

2. Have the students to give a report on the importance of a non-traditional job.

LibraryThing member oklahomaannie

SUMMARY: This is a story of a boy who takes the job as a lamplighter in order to help his family survive. However, his father is not proud of Peppe for doing this job, and puts him down continuously because of it. In the end Peppe's father realizes exactly how important his job actually is.

PERSONNAL REACTION: This book was very sad, and I felt is sent an important message. However, I would be careful about presenting this book to my students depending upon thier maturity level, and of course, their age.
CLASSROOM EXTENSION: This would be a great book to incorporate when talking about different types of jobs, and how every person is important, and we need all types of people to do all types of jobs. This book would also be great to begin a conversation about how other children work and live in other countries outside of America.

LibraryThing member MiguelPut

I don't know how to Italian pronunciation so that it took a lot of the read-aloud fun away. Perhaps with a little editing the book could have been better. Also, the first sentence of the book says that Peppe's mother has died and his father is sick -- an unnecessary and anxiety-inducing detail.

Most children who want a job simply want to produce.

LibraryThing member kkerns3

Summary: This story is about a boy named Peppe who recently came to America with his father and seven of his sisters. His father is sick so he must try and find work in order to support the family. He walks around town asking many business owners if they could hire him but they all say no. Then the

lamplighter, Domenico, asks Peppe if he could light the lamps while he returns to Italy to get his wife. All of Peppe's sisters are very excited that he has a new job but his father feels otherwise. He feels as though he came to America to give his children a better life and lighting the street lamps is not a good enough job for Peppe. As Peppe lights the lamps he makes wishes for each one of his family members. His father continues to be upset because he feels like Peppe will go nowhere with this job. One night he decides not to light the lamps since he knows his father is so disappointed in him. That night his youngest sister Assunta does not come home. Peppe's father begs him to light the lamps so his sister can see and return home. While making his rounds he finds his sister by the last lamp he lights and she reminds him of the importance of his job. When they return home Peppe's father tells him that he is proud of him and he is sorry for the way he acted before.

Review: My favorite part of this book was definitely the illustrations. They are absolutely beautiful and fit the story perfectly. The illustrations are very detailed and help the reader to create a strong mental image of what's going on in the story. The author also did a good job of writing a story that is easy to understand but also full of meaning. She does not need to use an abundance of detail because the illustrations are so intricate. I do think that having seven sisters is a bit too much. It makes it hard for the reader to keep track of them and ends up being a little confusing. I like that the author used a good amount of dialogue and I think this book would be good for a read aloud. Overall I think the central message of this story is that family is the most important thing. The author shows this when Assunta goes missing and Peppe puts his pride aside to go look for his little sister.

LibraryThing member DayDreamBear

This is such an amazingly touching book! It teaches us of the hardships of the old words when families endured economic hardships and even children had to find work to support their families. Not only do you get a good sense of what life was like back when street lights were lit with fire, but it

provides a lovely lesson that not even the smallest jobs should be over looked. Peppe finds a job as a lamplighter, one his father feels is beneath him and meaningless, but Peppe ends up saving the day gaining validation and appreciation. This would be a good one to start a social studies lesson off with.

LibraryThing member JenniferSaville

Peppe the Lamplighter is about a little boy who needs a job to help support his family. No one wants to hire him, though, because he is so young. He finally finds a job lighting lamps, but his father is ashamed of his lamplighting job. It isn't until Peppe's sister goes missing, and Peppe's

lamplighting is the only thing that can guide her home, that his Papa is finally proud of him.

I'm undecided on my feelings towards this book. I, personally, enjoyed the story, but I don't know that it would be appropriate for children. The story revolves around a tense family dynamic, and I think a teacher would need to be sensitive to that fact when using it in the classroom, or when providing classroom access.

1. Have the kids make small wax candles, and explain the process of lighting the wick and how it burns.
2. Have the kids write an extension story about what they think Peppe's sister did/saw when she was lost on the street.

LibraryThing member Imandayeh

This book is about the reality that many immigrants face when first coming to America. It is usually filled with much disappointment. Pepe is the only son out of many sisters his father is ill and incapable of work. He searches hard for a job and the only one he found available is lighting the

street lamps. Pepe is very grateful for the job however his father tells him he is ashamed. Night after night when Pepe returns his father takes out his anger on him so Pepe is so embarrassed he stops lighting the lamps. Fed up with the fighting his sister, Assunta, runs away and that night his father pleads with him to go light the streets for her. This showed not only Pepe but his father the importance of his job. It is good for children to understand the struggles of immigrants and the nice moral of the story that every job is important. I would recommend for children in grades 2-4.

LibraryThing member Turrean

Gorgeously--and realistically–-illustrated; very sentimental. The father's complete about-face in his attitude is not quite believable, but it's a pretty tale. I used it in a unit about how cities grew and changed in the 18th through 19th centuries. Not a big hit with all the children, who I

think were mystified by Papa's anger about his son's low-level job--especially since the sisters worked in factories! Might work in a unit on immigration, though I think older children would be even less interested.

LibraryThing member spring.rainbow

Summary:
This book is about a young family whose mother is gone and the father is sick. There is no electricity in this time frame and the lights in the city had to be lit by hand. A young boy searches for a job to help support his sisters and his dad. He finds a job as a lamplighter. He is proud

of it until his dad is constantly belittling him. His dad is angry about it and is mean. He begins to feel discouraged and wants to give up. His sisters encourage him, but its not enough. One day, he chooses to not light the lamps and his youngest sister is gone. She is afraid of the dark. After encouragement from his dad and learning the importance of his job, he finally lights the lamps and finds his sister safe. He lets her light a lamp and then brings her home.

Personal Reaction:
I really liked reading this book. I liked the way the book illustrates the importance of his job and what it means to the city. I liked the way his dad realizes the encouragement his son needed from him to continue his job. This book is also a good book to have for children to realize what life used to be like when there was no electricity around.

Extension Ideas:
1. Have the students discuss the differences between life without electricity and having to light lamps for light and life today with electricity.
2. Have the students write in a journal at least two things they learned from this book.
3. Have a guest speaker from the electric company come in and speak about the importance of electricity and the safety of its usage.

Subjects

Brothers and sisters Fiction

Fathers and sons Fiction

Italian Americans Fiction

New York (N.Y.) Fiction

Awards

Caldecott Medal (Honor Book — 1994)

Notable Children's Book (1994)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1993

Physical description

32 p.; 9 inches

ISBN

0688154697 / 9780688154691

Barcode

34747000051744

More

Amazon.comLibraryThingMARC view

Page: 0.604 seconds