Introduction
Daniel Macchio is a four-year-old chinchilla who lives with his mother, her two sisters, and his father in Garifuna's small hamlet on the island of Sicily. At the beginning of the novel, Daniel is very frightened of the other children, especially his friend Vito. Still, he soon gains confidence when he meets "oston," an American student who takes on the island as a volunteer.
When the war breaks out, Daniel joins the Americans, but he is assigned to live in a trench with other prisoners instead of boys. While most of the others are killed, Daniel manages to survive and is later rescued by British soldiers who want to shelter him.
How was Daniel abandoned?
The plot of "Daniel Macchio" is typical of children's books, particularly those written for school. The book is centered on Daniel's struggle to adjust to life in a new city.
The book describes how Daniel was abandoned by his parents when he was very young because his parents were too afraid to let him live with them in their hometown.
When Daniel is given a home in Manhattan, he immediately falls in love with a girl there, Flora, but he has trouble relating to her because of his accent.
Daniel's daily life:
Throughout the book, the author keeps up with the reader by throwing in humorous snippets of dialogue and a series of vignettes about Daniel's daily life. One such vignette involves Daniel eating a chocolate cake piece and seeing his likeness of a yam farmer.
Another depicts Daniel buying flowers from a young woman to send her away with roses. At one point, the character is asked to pronounce the name of a common word. Instead of saying "jazz," as most readers are familiar with that word, he replies with "ass."
Macchio meets a homeless:
Along the way, we are introduced to many colorful characters and places, such as the Woolworths department store where Daniel works. The restaurant in which he works sometimes comes under scrutiny as well.
It is here that Macchio meets "estone," a homeless vagrant. The interaction leads to a series of events that change the course of the book.
Macchio meets Nora:
Macchio also meets "Nora," who endears to him excitingly and unexpectedly. While trying to sell her a poem called "The Night Before Christmas," he learns that she is from Spain.
He decides to give her money but accidentally drops a large stack of counterfeit cash in front of her on the counter. This causes a scuffle that ends with her running off with the money, only to be pursued by "Nora," who has taken on a Spanish maid's persona.
Conclusion:
The Night Before Christmas is a short book filled with hilarious scenes. However, the real strength of the book lies within its central message. If you want to know how Macchio came to live in the United States, this book provides the necessary background. For children, however, it will give much-needed entertainment and will delight in the great stories.
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