First published 2013
A young girl visits her great-grandfather and becomes curious about his unusual collection. Each small matchbox contains a simple object that carries deep meaning. An olive pit reminds him of hunger in Italy when his mother had little food to offer. A bottle cap marks his path to the ship that would carry him across the ocean. A baseball ticket preserves the excitement of discovering America's pastime in his new country. Through these tiny treasures, the old man shares his immigration story with his great-granddaughter. He left Italy as a boy who could not read or write, carrying only memories and hope. Each object connects a moment from his journey to a new life in America. Together, the girl and her great-grandfather explore how small things can hold enormous stories of courage, loss, and new beginnings.
Genres: family-life, historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intergenerational
Setting: America, Italy
Period: 20th-century
40 pages · Hardcover · Candlewick Press