Fun Fact: I was lucky enough to live in Milan for almost a year after I graduated from college. Those were some of the most exciting days of my life and I dream about the day when I can bring my kids over to Italy and show them all my favorite spots in Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan. Since it will be a while before I can make that trip happen, the next best thing is reading these picture books about Italy with my kids and sharing my love of that fantastic country. The books on this list cover all kinds of fun Italian subjects:
All the major Italian cities are covered: Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan Italian food: Books about everyone’s favorite Italian dishes including pasta, pizza, and gelato Famous Italian historical figures, artists, and musicians Italian history Major Italian landmarks like the Colosseum and Vatican City
If you’re planning a homeschool unit on Italian history or geography, you might also want to include these fun activities: However, if you’re looking for information for yourself before a big trip to Italy, don’t miss my list of travel books about Italy for grown-ups: Strega Nona—“Grandma Witch”—is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical ever-full pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results. Every morning and every afternoon, Old Befana sweeps with her broom. “Cranky old lady,” the children say. “She is always sweeping!” Sweep, sweep, sweep. But when a brilliant star glows in the eastern sky one night, and Old Befana encounters the glorious procession of three kings on their way to Bethlehem, her world will never be the same. What is Sandro up to? And what friends will he meet along the way? This is the first pop-up book on Florence. Dario Cestaro’s spectacular drawings and paper architecture reveal Florence and its treasures in a pop-up book telling the city’s history with straightforward texts and interesting facts. This fascinating journey in colored pages shaped into Florence’s most celebrated landmarks will help even younger children to recognize the main buildings: the cathedral with its famous ogival dome; the Palazzo Vecchio with its great tower and crenellated walls; the Palazzo Pitti, once the Medicis’ majestic ducal residence; the Ponte Vecchio, the iconic bridge over the Arno with its historic craft shops; the Church of Santa Croce, which contains tombs and monuments to many illustrious persons (Dante, Michelangelo, Galileo). And then, one day, he escapes! Paolo throws himself into the city, finding adventure at every turn. Join our hero as he discovers the wonders of Rome: the ruins, the food, the art, the opera, and—of course—the cats. Readers will cheer the daring of this bighearted dog, whose story shows that even the smallest among us can achieve great things. She later became an early childhood expert—founding schools with her revolutionary educational theories and changing the lives of many children. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the educator’s life. The tour of the Renaissance palazzo is good and provocative, while the paintings are architecturally savvy and washed in Mediterranean color. Beautiful, ornate artwork portrays the spirit and splendor of Vivaldi’s hometown of Venice. A historical note, musical score, and glossary will help readers more fully appreciate the composer’s Baroque context and his enduring genius. Marietta and her family lived on the island of Murano, near Venice, as all glassmakers did in the early Renaissance. Her father, Angelo Barovier, was a true maestro, a master of glass. Marietta longed to create gorgeous glass too, but glass was men’s work. One day her father showed her how to shape the scalding-hot material into a work of art, and Marietta was mesmerized. Her skills grew and grew. Marietta worked until she created her own unique glass bead: the rosetta. Small but precious, the beautiful beads grew popular around the world and became as valuable as gold. The young girl who was once told she could not create art was now the woman who would leave her mark on glasswork for centuries to come. Over 50,000 screaming fans watched gladiators battling each other to the death, men fighting exotic wild beasts, and even mock sea battles with warships floating on an arena floor flooded with water. By AD 476 the Roman Empire had fallen, and yet the ruins of the Colosseum remain a world-famous landmark of an unforgettable time. He loves walking home by the beautiful buildings and fountains with his father in the evenings. And he especially loves the stone lion who seems to smile at him from a pedestal in the piazza. The lion makes him feel safe.But one day his father tells him that their family must leave. Their country is at war, and they will be safer in America. Renato can only think of his lion. Who will keep him safe? With luminous watercolor paintings, Barbara DiLorenzo captures the beauty of Florence in this heartwarming and ultimately magical picture book. It is only when a young apprentice makes the first looking glass that Daniela learns to smile – at her own grumpy reflection! This beautiful fable set in sixteenth-century Venice features stunning illustrations from award-winning artist Jane Ray alongside a poetic text. The stories behind its origin (we have the ancient Greeks to thank before the Italians); the delectable ingredients, from San Marzano tomatoes to buffalo mozzarella; the failed and the famous inventions (like “the pizza saver,” the piece of plastic that prevents a pizza delivery box top from drooping into the pie); the merits of Sicilian vs. New York vs. Chicago vs. new (Detroit?!) styles; and much more. Like the universally beloved food, this art-driven book of miscellany is inviting, colorful, and a delicious gift to give and get. The ground begins to shake, the sky to darken. Heading for the harbor, Tranio and his friend Livia hide on a boat and witness one of the most terrifying moments in recorded history-the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of their beloved city, Pompeii. When Papa Gatto realizes his mistake, his home is in shambles, his kittens are neglected, and a priceless heirloom is in Sophia’s hands. Fortunately, the next helper he hires is Beatrice, whose affection for his kittens assures him that this time he has found someone he can trust. The crafty Sophia, however, has other ideas… With its surprising twist to the happily-ever-after ending and its exquisitely detailed illustrations, this charming Italian fairy tale is sure to become a favorite of cat lovers, caretakers, and hopeless romantics everywhere.
