I love this story. Because when I finished reading this book, it made me smile. Last three words remain in my heart and made me feel the same cool wind (toward the future) which 12-boy Nunzio should've felt after the last summer in his boyhood. I think "PARADISE SALVAGE" is about an Italian-American boy's coming-of-age story as well as universal children's one. I was surpried at some critical reviews here and considered why? When we were childs, small things were not small things. So once you see the world from Nunzio's viewpoint,things were filled with wonders and I smiled,laughed,wept,thrilled, and was moved while reading. I enjoyed several episodes about Italian-American lives. Those are realistic and visual. I've read this book as "a novel" and I recommend you who want to read a mix-cultured and adventurous boy's story.