Spinelli has written a story about survival on the streets of Nazi-occupied Warsaw during World War II. The irony makes this story compelling as a Jewish boy Misha does not understand the severity of the situation because of his age. Uri befriends Misha and makes up a story about his gypsy background to protect him. The story of Misha and his band of orphans has a Dickensian quality where the children were struggling to survive on the streets. Misha helps Janina and her family survive in the ghetto because of his street experience. .

English language arts grade 8 (2009).