Little Gangster

Book excerpt: It is 1952, and in the opening pages of Little Gangster, Joey DAngelo, our young Sicilian protagonist, and his friend, Johnny Marino, are called late at night to First Street park where their gangster employer, Pepi Savino, is in the middle of an argument with another gangster, Nick Bonanti. Immediately after the two twelve year old boys arrive in the park, the confrontation becomes violent and Joey is told by Pepi to carry out a task which risks arrest for Joey and becomes one of the great challenges facing him in the novel. The boys have been running errands for Pepi and earning money for bets on stickball games. Joey has no moral concern about this work until he is called into the office of Peter Capra, Director of The Boys Club of New York, and is offered an opportunity for a scholarship to a New England prep school; but there is a catch: Joey must break all ties with Pepi Savino. Joey finally decides what to do, and in an exciting climax, he confronts Pepi with his decision. In this dramatic coming-of-age tale, Joey takes the first steps toward realizing the American dream, its pursuits, its challenges and sacrifices. For 140 years, The Boys Club of New York, (BCNY), has combined a single-minded focus on boys and young men with a unique multi-disciplinary approach which prepares them for a fulfilling and meaningful adulthood. The Boys Club accomplishes this through an approach which includes music and arts programs, social activities, academic support and athletics. By introducing them to new ideas in a nurturing environment, BCNY helps shape them into the best adults they can be. The Boys Club of New York has sent over 2,000 boys to prep schools and colleges throughout the country since 1952. A percentage of all book sales will go to support programming at the Boys Club of New York. To learn more about The Boys Club of New York, visit www.bcny.org.