Raffaele, the pizza chef of Napoli, loves making pizza for his town. Queen Margherita wants to taste this pizza! Raffaele gathers up fine ingredients and tries to imagine what kind of pizza she would enjoy.
A recipe for Pizza Margherita and the history of the real story is is included in the back.
A great book to read on International Pizza Day, Feb. 9th.
-Borrowed from the library.
This picture book focuses on Vivaldi's interactions with the girls at the orphanage, Ospedale della Pieta in Venice. As a priest, he was their music teacher. People agreed that their performances were one of Italy's finest. After dismissing him, the board of directors regretted their decision, for Vivaldi had soared into fame. Wanting him to return but not able to afford him, they made a deal with him-to compose for the girls on an ongoing basis. Vivaldi agreed and composed more than 140 concertos for them. The author likes to imagine he created The Four Seasons with the girls in mind.
The four sonnets to accompany each piece are included (written after the music was composed). A CD recording of the music is part of this book. The illustration style/technique were not to my taste.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
My oldest son is learning to play Winter by Vivaldi on piano and would like to learn the rest of The Four Seasons. I was curious about this composer.
This picture book's captivating narrative and its sweeping illustrations enthralled me. Little is known about Vivaldi. Mrs. Shefelman utilizes the few facts known about him to create an excellent story. She explains after the story which incidents were true.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Over a month ago I met with a friend to help her select books for a literature classe she was teaching. She introduced me to this gem!
Paolo resides (is imprisoned) in a hair salon. He longs to escape and explore the wonders of Rome. Finally, one day the door is left open, unnoticed by his owner. Freedom! With eagerness, he explodes out onto the streets, discovering the ancient and new treasures of Rome. When he rescues nuns, his future as a free dog in Rome is secure.
Paolo leads readers around Rome, reinforcing its history and culture. The richness of the book will be enjoyed only if readers linger, ask questions, and make connections.
**Highly, highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Award winner: Sibert Medal Winner
World magazine listed this book as one of the top nonfiction books published in 2023.
With humor and the pace of a detective story, Mr. Day shares the events surrounding the Mona Lisa heist in 1911. Mr. Day researched extensively. My mind was spinning at points from learning about the different individuals connected to the case! He even transports the reader to the 1500s where we interact with Leonardo da Vinci, learn about his childhood and then about his interesting "career". The plot switches between the 1500s & 1911-1913.
Mr. Day's tone and voice is engaging and humorous. He proves that nonfiction reading and history can be fascinating!
Points to discuss: da Vinci is an illegitimate child, stealing, lying, betrayal, Picassco lives with a woman (call her his "partner), mentions how a man was so obsessed with the Mona Lisa that he committed suicide
Strategy: monitor comprehension (vast amount of individuals involved with case . . .plus many theories & conclusions arise and then are disproven!! Also, the reader needs to keep straight the two time periods portrayed)
*Highly recommend
-Borrowed from the library.
Guido, a Benedictine monk living at Pomposa Abbey, loved music. The complicated hymns, however, were challenging to learn. One day he realized that only six tones existed in any song. His discovery enabled him to teach choir singers hymns & songs quickly. He published a book about his methods and was recognized by the Pope.
A lot of additional information about Guido, his life at an abbey, and his methods are included after the story.
Pair with: Do, Re, Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido d'Arezzo by Susan L. Roth with Angelo Mafucci
*Highly recommend-especially for music lovers.
-Borrowed from the library.
Mr. Shafer imagines what Pieter Bruegel's journey from Antwerp to Rome must have been like in 1551-1552. Narrated in 1st person via journal entries. Two-page illustration spreads enrich the experience. At the back Mr. Shafer includes small prints of Bruegel's art and comments on their significance. My favorite painting is Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. When I was researching ekphrastic poetry, I discovered two poems inspired by this painting.
This book is over-sized.
*Highly recommend for art and history lovers.
-Borrowed from the library.
In the early 1800s baby Sebastien floating in a basket is retrieved from the waters in Venice by a fisherman. The fisherman brings the baby to his fellow guild members, who decide to raise him. Sebastien spends his life migrating from guild members home to guild members home, learning their craft. The question "Who am I?" plagues him.
A century later, Daniel, a thief, seizes an opportunity to redeem himself by traveling to Venice to recover a lost book. As he searches, he encounters people who point him to a restored life.
I love the beautiful language and writing and how Ms. Dykes joins these two stories.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
This coming school year we will be studying medieval history, and I will be recommending this picture book biography to my sons. Joseph Fibonacci lived in medieval Italy and was obessessed with numbers. He advocated the using the Hindu-Arabic numerals (which we use today) instead of Roman numerals. People resisted. Told in first person, the reader intimately experiences Fibonacci's thoughts. Throughout the book, the illustrations incorporate spirals (the Fibonacci sequence). Additional information and hands-on activities at the back enrich this story even more.
Worldview to discuss: "I think people are happiest when they know what pleases them." (-Alfredo, Joseph Fibonacci's father's adviser).
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
The True Story of Gino Bartali Italy's Secret Hero
Gino Bartali won the Tour de France two times. Yet his greatest achievement was rescuing more than eight hundred Jews during World War II. He rode his bicycle around Italy delivering false identification papers for hidden Jews. As the war continued, he sought other creative ways to help the Jews.
Well-written story that focuses on how one person can make a difference.
**Highly, highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
I own the No Fear Shakespeare version-"Shakespeare side-by-side Plain English".
Shakespeare is challenging for me to read and to comprehend. I am very thankful for the "plain English" translation! My ninth grader will be reading this play for English. I wanted to preview it.
Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, have been living on an island since his brother Antonio usurped his position as King of Milan. Conspiring with Alonso, the King of Naples, Antonio forced Prospero and his young daughter onto a raft to die at sea. Years later, Antonio, Alonso and their crew shipwreck on the exact island where Prospero has been living. Using his magical powers, Prospero causes havoc and trickery on his brother and the crew. Meanwhile, Miranda and Alonso's son, Ferdinand, meet and fall in love.
Five Acts & an epilogue
I did not like this play as much as A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream was delightful and humorous. The humor in this play stemmed from drunkness and crudeness.
Points to discuss/Warning: simile "as leaky as a menstruating woman", three characters become drunk and exalt wine/alcohol (these characters are supposedly the humor in the play which almost treats drunkness and alcohol abuse too lightly), Prospero accuses Caliban of trying to rape his daughter, Sebastian accuses Alonso of "pimping out his daughter to an African", coarse language-SOB, bastard, h**, Prospero tells Ferdinand he may not have sex with Miranda until after they are married, Stephano sings a song in his drunken state about a girl Kate who liked it when a tailor took her to bed, characters take God's name in vain
-I own this version-
Reeling from her mother's death, Ave Maria begins to discover who she really is. Why did her mother never mention who her true father was? Why the strange marriage proposals? Will leaving Stone Gap resolve her issues? The humor and the small town setting will endear this novel to its readers.
Warning: It seems like sex is the driving force for a relationship for some characters (especially the bookmobile librarian, Iva Lou (who eventually settles down and marries)). Nothing explicit is included. Allusions to adultery, premartial sex.
Mr. DePaola relates the legend of Old Befana and how she began visiting the children of Italy, searching for the Christ Child.
-Borrowed from the library.
Read Aloud Revival celebrates Christmas by offering Christmas School! This year they have engaging activities to support the reading of the following books:
1. The Cat on the Dovrefell (my suggestion: pair with Jan Brett's Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve?-a retelling of the same Norwegian tale. The author's two writing and illustrations differ greatly and provide the opportunity for a good discussion on their differences. The main story,however, is surprisingly the same!) *Highly recommend both books.
