Donna Jo Napoli reads from The King of Mulberry Street

In 1892, a nine-year-old Jewish boy from Naples named Beniamino is smuggled aboard a cargo ship bound for America by his unemployed and impoverished mother.   He is traveling alone and with nothing of value except for a new pair of shoes.  In the turbulent world of homeless children in Manhattan’s Five Points, he assumes the name Dom Napoli and quickly learns the lessons of the street: think fast, watch what’s going on, and find friends who will help you.  Based loosely on the author’s grandfather, The King of Mulberry Street is vivid story of historical fiction for young adults.