The little boy in the story helped his famiy out during the great depresion by selling newspapers with his friend named Jacob. In the story it says that when they were walking around the corner to Jacob's job they saw a black suit case and they looked above the suit case and ther was the litttle boy's dad selling apples, he was very shooked because his dad lied to the whole faimliy and said he had a real job but the only job he had was to sell apples just like all the others. In the story it also said that Jacob tried to cheer him up but that didn't work because he was too angry to play and fool around. The author said that even though he knew that his dad was pretending he did not say 1 word about it to his faimliy because he didn't want to break apart the faimliy. The author also said that one day when his dad got back from work he said what a long working day of work the little boy wanted to tell him that he didn't have to pretent anymore. This reminds me of when my cousin was pretending like she had a really good job but she had no job at all once I had cought her I didn't tell any body because I didn't want to start a big fight between their faimliy because they have a very nice faimliy and I don't want to mess it up. Thats why I say just don't lie then you will start a big mess and you can't clean it up. In the story it also says that the little boy's dad was very proud because he knows that if he would have told the whole faimliy that would have broken apart the faimliy. In the story it also says that the little boy is smart because he knows that if he would have told that would have broken apart the famliy. This shows that the little boy is very smart. I think if the little boys mom knew she would have really broken apart the faimly. When people do things like that that means they really care about their faimly. The author said that at first his dad thought that he had already told his mom but when the little boy told his dad that he didn't tell his mom his dad was as happy as can be. I think he should have just told the whole faimly himself because they have enough trouble during the great depression they don't need any more trouble. I think that is a good idea to have two people in the faimliy making money because if there are two people in the faimly making money that means they will get more money and during the great depresion they need as much money as they can get. Those are the 2 ways the little boy helped his faimliy out during the great depresion.