Is Bobby Home?

About the Book

Bobby Ciampitti is a young boy born to second generation Italian immigrants in South Philadelphia. Growing up in a row house in a working-class area in the 1950s and 60s, Bobby grows up in what is in many ways a classic image of Americana. The neighborhood is close and friendly, doors are left unlocked, and the moms stay at home while the dads work long hours for modest wages. Children are watched over by everyone in a neighborhood where kids of all ages and backgrounds play together.

Take a trip back to the past while Bobby paints a picture of life growing up in the city and the light-hearted adventures (and some misadventures) that ensue, starting with a knock on the door and a simple question... "Is Bobby home?"