Mission Florence by Catherine Aragon

Another winner from the family-owned and run company that makes these wonderfully engaging and entertaining spy-games for young tourists. The books are designed to accompany tourist visits, with hunts for art, architectural elements, clocks, etc. Points are warded by the “Case Officers” (the parents or guardian), to the “Future Special Agents” (the children).

Attention: Future Special Agents (you) and Case Officers (grownups)

This book is for Florence, Italy, and it covers the city's top eight sights. The text is clear and engaging, never speaking down to the children. It is accompanied by lots of images to help the “Special Agents” with tasks. The tasks are actually lots of fun, and the children get to select codes names, decode messages, track down bonus sightings on their own. Lots of information about history and art is shared along the way in bite-sized chunks.

I can't think of a better way to educate young tourists while keeping them happy and entertained during the sometimes tiring outings that make up a family vacation abroad. Jet-lag will be kept at bay with “Mission Florence”, and the “Case Officer” may even learn a few things too!

From the book's description:

Headed to Florence with kids? Want to ensure your young explorers get the most out of their incredible opportunity to experience this Tuscan treasure? Then you've come to the right place!

Mission Florence takes your young travelers through the famous sights of Florence, engaging them in an exciting scavenger hunt as you explore city landmarks together.

Say “arrivederci” to a trip filled with the stress of keeping everyone entertained. Instead, say “buon giorno!” to a memorable family vacation. Imagine - your kids will be excited to sightsee (yes, even at museums!) as you discover the wonders of Florence as a family.

Get Mission Florence today for your young jet-setters…and make sure it’s in their bag when they take off for Italy!

Mission Florence offers a fun vacation for everyone - with a captivating, spy-theme scavenger hunt packed with entertaining activities. When your kids set off on their “mission,” with the goal of earning enough points to become a “special agent,” they’ll gain points as:

-Art Sleuths: They’ll search for clues in the treasures of the Uffizi , Accademia, and Bargello.

-Culture Detectives: They’ll discover the fascinating stories behind landmarks like Santa Maria del Fiore and Piazza Signoria, and sample Italian treats like gelato and gourmet pizza.

-Monument Investigators: They’ll uncover clues on the façade of the Palazzo Vecchio, the square of the towering Duomo, and the details of the Ponte Vecchio…and many more engaging activities.

Experiencing this Renaissance wonder is an amazing opportunity for anyone, especially a young person. Make your kids’ trip one to remember. Get Mission Florence today for your young explorers…and be sure it’s in their suitcase when they set off for Italy!

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

Their website offers more content, and a free e-book, so be sure to visit it!  I've reviewed their Mission Rome book too.

Mission Rome Scavenger Hunt Adventure by Catherine Aragon

This very clever book of roughly 60 pages is a perfect gift to give a child traveling to Rome, Italy.  It will keep them happily occupied as they visit Rome's most famous sites, and they'll come home knowing a lot about what they've seen.  Accompanying adults are the "case officers" for the "intelligence operative" child.

The child earns points for locating things shown in the book (lots of photos) which are also explained succinctly.  I liked that the child did not compete against the other "intelligence operatives" but instead competed against him/herself, to qualify with enough points to get "hired" for the job after the "test" was over.

There are also Special Missions too, which are designed to encourage the child to try new foods, to learn to speak some Italian, and to understand the money and culture and history better.  All in all, I could see the teacher behind it all, and I heartily approve!

While it is sold as an e-book, I think the paperback is the best option, since the child is supposed to fill in information along the way, and it can make a nice souvenir later in life to recall their trip.

From the book's description:

Planning to travel to Rome with kids? Want to ensure your young explorers get the most out of their travel experience in the Eternal City ? Then, you've come to the right place! 

Mission Rome guides your young travelers through the famous sights of the Eternal City, engaging them in an exciting scavenger hunt as you explore Rome's landmarks together as a family.

Say "arrivederci" to a trip filled with the stress of keeping everyone entertained. Instead, say "buongiorno" to a memorable family vacation - and to your children excited to discover the wonders of Rome with you, with this book as their guide.

Imagine, not only will your kids want to sightsee; but together you'll uncover the intriguing histories of sights like the Pantheon, Roman Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, and many more.

Not your typical travel guide, Mission Rome ensures a fun vacation for everyone with a captivating, spy-theme scavenger hunt packed with fun activities and the fascinating stories behind the city's landmarks.

Mission Rome is a must-have book for kids visiting Rome, Italy!

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

I suggest a visit to the publisher's website where they offer extras and after "mission" support, like a certificate for the child.  They also offer bulk discounts on orders of the paperback books. I've reviewed their Mission Florence book too.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, the author of the crime-romance novel THE HAGUE, a traditional murder mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Eat, Leo! Eat! by Caroline Adderson and Josee Bisallion

A hyphenated Italian child not wanting to eat his lunch, an Italian grandmother wise with tricks to get the boy to eat, stories to engage the child (and the reader), and beautiful illustrations to engage the eye:  what is there not to like about Eat, Leo! Eat? 

 

There is also a list of 16 Italian words used in the book, with pronunciation guide and meaning for each word.  And a page about pasta, depicting many varieties, giving their name in Italian and providing a pronunciation guide. 

The author portrays a large, extended hyphenated Italian family enjoying a Sunday meal each week, with the matriarch of the family, Nonna, taking the lead with dealing with difficult Leo.  She has the support of the whole family.

Psychology proves better at disciplining Leo than any other method.  He grows to beg for the stories, which are actually the continuation of one story, while he eats lunch with his loving family.

"He's hungry for stories," Babbo jokes.

The setting for the story-with-the-story is Italy.

Things progress to the point where Leo actually helps with the making of Sunday lunch's fresh pasta.  The images offer lots of little details for children to enjoy while the story is being read to them. 

Even the pasta maker is depicted! 

The illustrations fit the text perfectly.  The artist manages to convey the emotions of each character:  the determined orneriness of Leo, the patience of Nonna, the amusement of Mamma...

Once there was a little boy who went to see his nonna.  He went at night.  But at night the world looked so dark and different.  "I wish, I wish," he said, "that there was a light to see by." Then he looked up and what did he see?"

"Stars?" Leo asks.

"Yes, stelline," Nonna says. "A thousand of them. Now mangia, Leo."

From the book's description:

Leo wants no part of sitting down with his family to eat Nonna's big, delizioso lunch every Sunday.  "I'm not hungry," he insists.  Not hungry?  Hmm.  Clever Nonna gets an idea.  She'll use a story to lure Leo to her table.  And since the pasta in her soup, called stelline (little stars), is woven into the story about a boy who journeys to his grandmother's at night, it works.

But again on the following Sunday, Leo doesn't want to eat.  So Nonna expands her story, this time adding some chiancaredde (paving stones), the name of the pasta she's serving that day, to create a path for her character to follow.  Now Leo's hooked.  So much that he begins to badger Nonna every Sunday to reveal more pasta-based details of the story.

And week by week, as Leo's relatives crowd around listening to Nonna and teasing Leo to get him to mangia (eat), he slowly comes to realize just how happy he is to have a place at this table.  

In this heartwarming picture book, award-winning author Caroline Adderson beautifully captures the love and tenderness Leo feels from his grandmother and the rest of his close-knit family through lively, true-to-life dialogue.  The playful, detailed artwork by Josee Bisaillon helps bring all of them to life.

This book offers a perfect framework for lessons exploring the heritage, customs and relationships of families.  The unique story-within-a-story concept, along with the idea that Nonna's tale is being told cumulatively, could easily launch a storytelling assignment.  Additionally, the section on pasta and the list of Italian vocabulary words make a great introduction to foreign cultures through food and language.

 

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com.

Please visit the author's website.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Violet's Problem (Violet Strange Mysteries) by Candida Martinelli

The Violet Strange Mysteries 

 

The Violet Strange Mysteries are nine detective stories for tweens, teeens and adults, each story a major case for Violet Strange, a debutante and secret high-society detective, living and working in New York City in 1899, The Gilded-Age.

The protagonist is Violet Strange. Violet is seventeen years old when the first book begins, in March of the year 1899, and Violet is set to debut into New York City's high-society.  The nine books in the series follow Violet's detecting career and life through the rest of the year, ending on New Year's Day 1900. 

Book 1:  Violet's Problem 

Violet Strange, a Gilded Age debutante, searches for her disgraced sister, risking losing everything, in the hope of saving her sister from a life of poverty and despair.  Why was her sister disgraced and disowned by their father?  She married an Italian immigrant.  That was all it took back then!  The first book in the series is offered at a special low price of .99 cents, a $2.00 discount.

There is a short flashback to Violet's childhood at the beginning of the first book in the series.  There we see Violet as a child in March of the year 1889, when her beautiful older sister, Theresa Strange, is set to debut into New York City's high-society.  The events that take place on that fateful day will change the lives of all three Strange children forever.

Never Enough Books

 

Darling adventures!  --  This is a wonderful beginning to a charming mystery series.  It's set in a time period that doesn't get covered too much, The Gilded Age, a little later than the Regency but a time when women were still hedged about with stringent societal expectations.  

Tiny Violet Strange defies convention to find her missing sister and shows extraordinary perseverance in the face of multiple setbacks.  Like all good mysteries, this one ends well, but not for long as Violet's just beginning on her detective career!

Amazon Reader 

 

A scent of Violet.  --  Delightful is the best way to describe this book. Written in a simple and precise voice it starts out slowly then steadily builds, and I found myself getting sucked into little Violet's life and struggles.

This would make a perfect gift for a young girl. And as a plus, you'll learn about languages and Italian culture...give it a try, you'll love it and will end up buying the next, and the next...

A 1-minute Book Series Trailer

Jonna Turek (J.B. Hawker author of The Bunny Elder Adventures) 

 

Lively glimpse into the lives of young ladies of an earlier era  --  This first book in the series gives a seemingly authentic view into historical New York.  Promoted as a young adult series, the story was entertaining to this not-so-young adult, as well.

Written in the present tense, with descriptions similar to stage directions, it is easy for the reader to picture the action and atmosphere as spunky, diminutive Violet goes about her many adventures, pushing the boundaries of her social class.  I can easily imagine this series becoming a favorite with a whole generation of readers.

Julie L. Sarff (Author of the Sweet Delicious Madness Series) 

 

Pleased to meet you, Violet Strange  --  This story is set in a very charming time period of the Gilded Age in New York.  Debutante Violet Strange has a problem, her father has disowned her sister for marrying the man she loved.  Ten years later, Violet decides to track down sister Theresa, only problem is Theresa does not want to be found.

A beguiling glimpse into the world of the very wealthy as well as the very poor, I have to admit I am a fan and will be reading more.

The Complete Series

The Violet Strange Mysteries are available as individual paperback books and as Kindle e-books via Amazon.com.  The complete e-book bundle is available for $8.99, offering a savings of nearly $16.00.

The stories are based on A.K. Green's 1914 short stories, but Candida Martinelli has completely re-imagined and re-written the stories for tweens, teens and adults today.  The original stories were less fleshed-out, and were written in stilted, Victorian English.  Candida Martinelli's series of tween length novels, or adult novellas, is written in simple, clear prose that is accessible to all readers, young and old.

The nine books in the series are about the highlights of Violet's detecting career, but it is not only Violet's life-experience that grows during the course of her work. Violet's heart grows too, to encompass friends she never imagined she would have befriended, and to discover the love of her life in a man she could never have imagined would return that love.

Links to the Series' Website and to the Books

The Violet Strange Mysteries Website for LOTS more info, history and goodies

Book 1 - Violet's Problem at Amazon.com

Complete Series E-Book Bundle at Amazon.com

Author's Page at Amazon.com

A 5-Minute Book Premise Trailer

 

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

The Night of La Befana, An Italian Legend by Maria Centofanti Pritchard, illus. by Isabella Centofanti Alexander

(All the images from the book are copyrighted)

Looking for a Christmas gift for a hyphenated Italian family or child?  Look no further.  This beautifully illustrated re-telling of the story of La Befana, the visitor all good little Italian children await on the eve of the Epiphany, will be a gift they treasure for years to come.  It is 32 pages long, hard-bound, and includes a dust jacket.  The book's dimensions are 8.5 x 11 inches.

The story of La Befana is a moving one, and the text of this book, written for an adult to read to a small child, is lovingly constructed to convey not just the story, but also the emotions and mysteries of the elderly woman who ends up searching the world over for the Christ Child.

Here are two samples of the text style to give you an idea:

 

The watercolor illustrations that accompany the text are beautifully drawn.  They depict an Italian village scene, and they include many little details to keep the interest of little listeners, even after many re-readings of the story.  Cats, dogs, water fountains, bricks and cobblestones, brooms, clothing, hills in the distance...

This image of the flying Befana with her sack of gifts and lumps of coal is one that all Italian children know.

There are several morals hidden in the story of La Befana.  It is not just a fun fantasy that became a tradition in Italy.  I won't ruin the story for you, but know that it is a story that will remain with children for all their lives, and will be a story they will want to share with their own children, one day.

Here is the book's video trailer, also beautifully made:

The Night of La Befana from Isabella Centofanti on Vimeo.

From the book's description:

Why do Italian children hang up a stocking on the eve of the Epiphany?

The Night of La Befana explains this custom with a retelling of the ancient Italian legend in which a reclusive old woman named Befana is the object of curious whispers.

And for what reason? For sweeping and baking all day long, and singing lullabies to no one at all!

But the appearance of a brilliant star one winter's night changes everything.

Author Maria Centofanti Pritchard and illustrator Isabella Centofanti Alexander are sisters who grew up when life's slower pace invited them to linger long at the dinner table and to listen to their parents tell of their Old World childhood adventures.

To create The Night of La Befana, Maria and Isabella drew deeply on memories: their father's birthplace in Italy, the hard-working villagers there, and their Italian grandmother who baked bread and sang the ninna nanna with joy and passion.

The Night of La Befana unfolds in a simple yet lyrical style. Each watercolor illustration is entirely hand-done, every brush stroke robust and purposeful. Together, text and pictures capture the essence of that strange night when three royally dressed men invite Befana to join their star-led search for the Christ Child, and she stubbornly declines.

What happens when she wakes to regret her decision is why January 5th is The Night of La Befana.

And it is why Italian children hang up a stocking on the eve of the Epiphany.

Readers and listeners of all ages will treasure The Night of La Befana, a story to be read and enjoyed throughout the Christmas season, again and again!

 

The Night of La Befana is published and distributed by the Italian Children's Market, a great resource for gifts for hyphenated Italian children!

At Italian Children's Market we believe it is never too early or too late for a child to learn about his or her heritage.  Our carefully selected books, DVDs, CDs, educational toys, and more, guarantee a friendly introduction to the language and culture of Italy.  To visit our website is to hold your child's hand as together you step through a special door, one that leads to joy and pride in Italian roots.

Direct link to The Night of La Befana's Website

Direct link to The Night of La Befana's page at ICM

(You can purchase the book via either site.)

I have a page at my Italian culture website, Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, at Italophiles.com, dedicated to La Befana.

Direct link to the Italophiles.com page for La Befana

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Tino and the Pomodori by Tonya Russo Hamilton and Britta Nicholson

Intelligently thought out, Tino and the Pomodori (Tomatoes), a children's book, begins with six illustrations depicting how a tomato seed becomes a seedling, then a plant, then a flowering plant, then the plant growing the tomatoes, and lastly, a crate of harvested tomatoes.  The child gets an overview of what he is about to learn, showing that the author and illustrator are experienced educators!

The sun woke Tino early this beautiful morning in his small Italian village.

The first line of the book introduces Tino, a young boy who lives in Italy.  I like that Italy's most famous produce is linked in a child's mind to the country.  Tomatoes come originally from Latin America, but no other country has made tomatoes their national produce the way Italy has, using it to make the famous pasta sauce and so much more.

Tino, from a watercolor illustration for the book by Britta Nicholson

The era depicted in Italy seems from a generation ago, or perhaps from today in some areas of southern Italy.  We learn in a Note To Reader at the end of the book that the story of Tino is true, and is about the childhood of a grown man (the author's father).  The Note is accompanied by a lovely map featuring the sort of landmarks a child would note.

Italian phrases and words are integrated into the book's text, presenting a child with the concept of another country having another language.  The language is easy to understand, with translations incorporated into the text.  This book is ideal for starting a child off learning Italian, or for continuing a child's study of Italian as a second language.  A Glossary of Italian Terms used in the book is provided at the back of the book.

Detail of one of Britta Nicholson's watercolor illustrations for the book

The full-page watercolor illustrations, by illustrator Britta Nicholson, are rich with authentic details characteristic of the Italian countryside, and of the basic houses and their contents.  The plants mentioned are correctly depicted, and correct for each time of year.  The art style is naïve, simple and clear, colorful and endearing.

Children can be prompted to spot different details in the illustrations, with each subsequent reading of the story:  the views from the open windows and doors, the cured meats drying overhead, basic cooking ingredients like flour (farina) and olive oil (olio d'oliva), the time on a clock.

Even the pages with the book's text are illustrated with growing tomato plants (this is a detail)

The text, together with the illustrations in Tino and the Pomodori, which I received as a review-copy, teaches children about the full growth cycle and the necessary care of tomato plants.  There is even a description of how the seeds are harvested from the tomatoes for the following year.  Today's urban children are too often disconnected from the sources of their food.  Tino and the Pomodori goes a long way to correcting that lack of education. 

The text and illustrations in Tino and the Pomodori complement each other perfectly.  The basic, practical Italian words are effortlessly integrated into the story.  Tino and the Pomodori is the perfect book to broaden a child's education, and to start a child off on learning the Italian language.  It is 56 pages long, and available in hardback, to better withstand the multiple readings.

From the book's description:

Tino and the Pomodori explores, through the eyes of a child, the magic that is the life cycle of a tomato plant.

Tino takes the reader on a journey starting in the piazza of his small village in Italy, to his farm where he learns to work the land. He explains how the tomato starts as a seed drying in the sun and grows to be, la bella frutta - the beautiful fruit, that would eventually make the family’s sauce and bruschetta to go with Nonna’s thick, hard-crusted bread.

Visually engaging with vibrant watercolor illustrations, Tino and the Pomodori celebrates simplicity and the beauty of growing, harvesting, and preparing one's own food.

Tino and the Pomodori is published by  Gemelli Press LLC.

Gemelli Press is a boutique publisher based in Seattle, Washington and Calabria, Italy, combining twin passions for books and Italy.

Just like an Italian nonna choosing the perfect pomodoro, we too hand select our authors so that we can produce high quality books that touch and inspire our readers.

Our unique collection of Italian-inspired publications includes fiction, memoirs, travelogues, and other nonfiction focused primarily on food, wine, and Italian life and culture. At this time, we are not interested in publishing books entirely in the Italian language or English translations of Italian books.

 

Direct link to the Tino and the Pomodori page at GP

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

Please visit the author's website: Tonya Russo Hamilton's website

Here is a two-minute video tour of an Italian tomato garden, giving a bit of history and culture.

Here, in very clear and simple Italian, is an Italian cook showing how Italian tomato sauce is made.

And here is an instructional video on how to make the appetizer Bruschetta, like the ones in the book.  It is in Italian, but you don't need to understand the language to understand how to make Bruschetta, because all the steps are demonstrated.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Smelling Sunshine by Constance Anderson

Constance Anderson is both writer and illustrator of this book for children ages 8 to10.   Smelling Sunshine is 32 pages of colorful, multi-cultural beauty.  Full-page illustrations of people all around the world performing the same task, doing wash and drying it on a line, creates a unifying feeling. The author states:

Smelling Sunshine is a story that creates a path through various cultures by describing one world doing an ordinary chore of hanging laundry that becomes extraordinary in its personal nighttime comfort.

The large-format 8x10 inch pages, show off the lovely illustrations perfectly.  The text is simple, and non-rhyming, with poetical touches.

What inspires a person to write a book for children about hanging laundry?  The author says:

We tend to think of ourselves, our lives, as separate from others.  I wanted to show a connection among people from diverse backgrounds.  Hanging laundry with someone you love is a simple, shared task everywhere.  Compassionate understanding can start with something this elemental.

Why did I request a review copy of this book for my blog, Italophile Book Reviews?  Because I am always amazed when I see people photographing drying laundry in Italy, strung over streets, or hanging from racks off balconies sometime even covered by pieces of plastic to protect it from the rain.  Hundreds, actually, probably thousands of photographs of Italian families' private apparel can be found in tourists' albums after they return home!

Why do people love to photograph Italian laundry lines?  I can only imagine it has to do with what this author touches on,  the emotive memories we have of:   

• seeing our laundry hung out to dry in the sun and wind, 
• the rush to bring the laundry in when raindrops start to fall, 
• the folding of pieces too large for one person to handle alone, 
• the smell of bedding that has dried outside on a line. 

In Italy, electricity is very expensive, so not all families have electric dryers, and those who do, take advantage of good weather to same money.  When the weather is nice, I hang the laundry outside, despite having a dryer, because I love that smell of sunshine and plants the clothes get.  They smell so much nicer after line-drying when they come out of an electric dryer.  I wonder if people use those scented dryer sheets understand what they are supposedly replacing?

I suspect that in many wealthy, hyped-up countries, the custom of hanging wash on a line to dry is very quickly dying out.  For now the book is available only in English, but I hope it will become available in other languages, for just that reason.  A collective memory around the world of clothes drying on a line may not be a worldwide collective memory for much longer!

One point, however, that struck me is illustrated by a line from the book "Mommy and me".  All the adults drawn in the book are women.  While around the world, washing clothes is usually done by women, it would have been nice to include a man hanging the wash in one of the images that depicts one of the less macho societies in the world, where men help with the household chores. 

From the book's description:

All around the world in cities, towns, and villages—large and small—clothes are washed. They are hung to dry in the breeze and sunshine, and children everywhere revel in the fun of helping with the laundry. Smelling Sunshine captures some of the special moments of this day-to-day chore—a wonderful, heart-warming time shared between parent and child and an experience young readers will relate to.

This book is published by Star Bright Books, a small publishing house that specializes in children's books.  Part of their brief is:

We believe that all children should see themselves in print and we make a concerted effort to include children of all colors, nationalities, and abilities in our books. In addition to seeing themselves, children should also hear familiar language in the books they choose. In pursuit of that goal, we publish engaging books in twenty languages.

Direct link to the book's page at the publisher's website.

The book is available in both paperback and hardback.  Here is a direct link to Smelling Sunshine at Amazon.com:

Here are links to other books from the same publisher available via Amazon.com:

Visit the author's website.

I can't resist leaving you with just one more image of Italian laundry, this time in Venice.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Angels by Alexis York Lumbard

A children's book is as much by the illustrator as it is by the author, especially for a book intended for children aged 2 and up, such as Angels.  So much of the tale is conveyed to the child by the illustrations, and illustrator Flavia Weedn's illustrations for Angels are truly heavenly, a perfect fit for this sweet, lovely book.

I think the nicest part of Angels, that I viewed as a review-copy, is the Gift Label just inside the front cover that reads:  To my favorite angel _______ With love from ________.

This book would make a wonderful gift for a young godchild or grandchild, one that the child will want read to them over and over again before going to bed.  And the gift-giver's name will always be a part of the story, the first words read to the child after the book's title.

The soothing, rhyming verse, together with the gentle, ethereal illustrations, are perfect for putting a child to bed and blessing them with peaceful dreams.  The closing lines are just what a parent would say to their child just before the good-night kiss:

Angels, angels, always near, protecting you, my special dear!

Here is the book's very beautiful trailer, that children would enjoy, too.  It shows you much of the simple book:

From the book's description:

Did you know that angels of all kinds are everywhere?

“Some are big, some are tiny. They’re all so bright and very shiny.”

This lyrical, breezy, and nondenominational picture book introduces children and adults to a magical place which radiates warmth, love, and caring throughout its colorful and delicate pages.

Through the artwork of world-famous artist, Flavia, readers can experience a world of gentle wonder, beauty, and comfort that makes this a perfect bedtime story.

“Angels, angels, always near, protecting you, my special dear!”

Here is a link to the book at Amazon.com:

Visit the book's website, from where you can purchase the book, at Wisdom Tales Press.

And here are some other children's books illustrated by Flavia Weedn, available at Amazon.com:

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Collodi

The Italian author, Carlo Lorenzini, took the name of his mother’s village as his pen name, Collodi.  Early in his career, he wrote satirical articles and plays.  After translating some children's stories for an Italian publisher, be began to write children’s stories for publication in magazines and as books.

From 1881 to 1883 he wrote the stories that make up The Adventures of Pinocchio.  They appeared as installments in a magazine for children called Giornale per i bambini - Magazine for Children. After the last installment in 1883, all the installments were collected together in a book which has become the third most popular book ever written.  In case you don't know, it is the story of a wooden doll who comes to life.

Here is a quote from the moment old Geppetto, the carpenter, discovers that his carving has come to life:

As soon as he reached home, Geppetto took his tools and began to cut and shape the wood into a Marionette.

"What shall I call him?" he said to himself.  "I think I'll call him PINOCCHIO. This name will make his fortune.  I knew a whole family of Pinocchi once--Pinocchio the father, Pinocchia the mother, and Pinocchi the children-- and they were all lucky. The richest of them begged for his living.

After choosing the name for his Marionette, Geppetto set seriously to work to make the hair, the forehead, the eyes. Fancy his surprise when he noticed that these eyes moved and then stared fixedly at him.

 

The Adventures of Pinocchio has been translated into over two hundred languages.  It has been called a manual for childhood, and it has proven to be a manual that can easily cross cultural divides.  But be warned: the story was written in a different time, so there are parts of the work that focus on the harsh realities of that period (1880's) which no longer apply to the lives of most children in the West today.

Carlo Lorenzini died seven years after the publication of the first edition of The Adventures of Pinocchio.  By then, the book had entered into it's fifth printing and it has never been out of print, somewhere in the world, since.  The text is in the public domain.

I've created a free pdf e-book, with pages in landscape with an enlarged text size.  I've also added over 250 illustrations to the book.  It is free from Italophiles.com (Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site), my Italian culture website.  I have a Pinocchio page on the site with more interesting Pinocchio links.  And you can view the first 3 chapters of the illustrated e-book on-line at the site.

Direct link to download the free illustrated Pinocchio pdf e-book

You can also download free Pinocchio e-books in various formats from Project Gutenberg, the grand-daddy of free e-book sites.

Direct link to the free e-books of Pinocchio

And Project Gutenberg also offers the original Italian Pinocchio and the English Pinocchio as free audio books.

Direct link to the download page for the free audio book of Pinocchio in Italian

Direct link to the download page for the free audio book of Pinocchio in English

If you wish to purchase a printed book of the Pinocchio story, I've collected together here a selection of books from Amazon.com.

The story of Pinocchio has been adapted to film several times.  Here is the trailer for the live-action film starring Roberto Benigni.

Here is a small selection of Pinocchio films available for purchase via Amazon.com.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.