The War
by Nicolina Amato

I do remember one time with my Daddy. A beggar lady came to the door to ask for a piece of bread and my Daddy looked at the beggar and went into the house where he had a basket hanging on the wall. He gave some bread to the lady. His eyes got full of tears.

It was 1943. I didn't know that times were hard but I do remember well the lights and the noise from the war. The whole town was scared. They used to hide in a tunnel that they dug themselves. My mom didn't go anywhere because she believed that her time would come no matter where she was.

Background Information

Talk about World War II. What was the war about? What was life for people who fought in the war and for those people who stayed behind. Talk about why it's necessary to talk about the war and how hard it was on people.

Questions

1. Why did Nicolina's dad give the beggar some bread?

2. What other meaning does the word tears have?

3. Why would the people of the town hide in tunnels?

4. What's another word for beggar?

5. Why wouldn't Nicolina's mom hide?

6. How do you think Nicolina felt about the war?

7. What's another word for scared?