The Santuzzus are poor Sicilian farm laborers at the turn of the century who endure back-breaking work in the fields of a tyrannical landlord. Wanting more for their children and grandchildren than a lifetime of servitude, Papa Santuzzu and his wife Adriana push their seven sons and daughters, one by one, to immigrate to La Merica, a land of promise and opportunity.
In each chapter of Tony Ardizzone's loving tribute to Sicilian American culture, the Santuzzu siblings tell us about the family and friends they have abandoned in Sicily, the trials of their passage to America, and the uncertain, yet ultimately satisfying lives they build in their adopted home. Interwoven throughout their tales are the traditional folklore and songs of Sicily. In the Garden of Papa Santuzzu is a rich and vibrant addition to our diverse body of immigration literature.