"A Child’s
Christmas in Brooklyn," by Frank Crocitto (Candlepower,
$10.95) is a unique, nostalgic collection of the author’s memories
of his Italian-American Christmases on 81st Street and 13th Avenue.
Set in the 1940s, "A Child’s Christmas" recalls the
holiday preparations in his family’s Dyker Heights home and all
of the emotions they unleashed in a young boy: grandpa stringing
up the lights (the importance of lights on a Dyker Heights street
cannot be overstated), the aroma of grandma’s heavenly cooking,
and his parents’ covert present stashing and wrapping.
Crocitto’s text, presented like poetry, is significantly enhanced
by the gorgeous sepia-toned watercolor illustrations by Grady
Kane-Horrigan.
"I called it ’A Child’s Christmas in Brooklyn’ though it’s
not a children’s book, but a book for adults," writes Crocitto
in his introduction. Here are two reasons why: halfway through
the palm-sized book, Frankie hears the horrible rumor that Santa
may not be real ("not ree-YULE!" chant the neighborhood
boys).
The second cynical revelation is that the monsignor who delivers
the sermon on Christmas Day "had dear friends among the
mob" and "was a blatant embarrassment," writes
Crocitto. He neglects to mention whether the man was ever arrested
or was proven to have mishandled church funds, quickly reverting
back to recalling Christmas Day festivities. But this is a bizarre
aside to an otherwise charming, humorous sketch of his family’s
celebration.
"A Child’s Christmas in Brooklyn," available in hardcover
or in an audio version on CD or cassette, can be ordered from
Candlepower, P.O. Box 787, New Paltz, NY 12561, (845) 255-4076.
DYKER HEIGHTS MEMOIR
