The Allies are bombing the city. Nazis control Peppino's town. The Fascist mayor has seized Peppino's house and nine year-old Peppino and his mother are forced to live with the farm animals in the basement. "Keep your mouth shut, hide your stuff, break laws if you have to, lie if you must, survive!" Peppino learns the unspoken rules of survival. He finds he has a knack for deception, unexpected courage, and becomes a young man "good as bread." Based on true stories from the children who lived through it.