Before World War II, Stefano Capaldi is a happy peasant child living on a small farm ninety kilometers south of Rome. Then, the war and the Italian pact with Hitler throw his world into turmoil. This fiery eight-year-old finds himself evicted from his home near Monte Cassino by the invading Germans, but what he lacks in body size, he makes up for with heart and brains. Stefano hates the invaders but quickly learns childhood diplomacy, which leads to him being accused of acting as a collaborator. Risk-taking is second nature to him. At one point, he's even held by the Germans as a possible spy when he attempts to gather information for the Allies. Not to be deterred, he continues to aid the Allied forces in gutsy ways. This young boy stands in a world determined to destroy itself but finds hope in the support of his sister and other orphans. He even helps save a shot-down American pilot. Despite the hardships of war and near starvation, Stefano devises ways to survive. Caught in the fiercest battle of Italy's history, he not only survives but also thrives.