Storie Italiane - Italian Stories: A parallel text easy reader (Volume 1) by Jessica Kosinski illus by Julie L. Weaver translated by Claudia Cerulli

Today's entry is for my friend Joe S.   I have known Joe since High School and he is very interested in his Italian heritage.   So I thought today's book would be perfect for him.
 

Storie Italiane-Italian Stories: A parallel text easy reader (volume 1) by Jessica Kosinski, illustrated by Julie Leiman Weaver and translated by Claudia Cerulli is a great book to help teach not only the Italian language but about Italy as well.   The book has five stories that take place in five different Italian cities.   I am especially partial to this volume because one of the stories takes place in Palermo, Sicily which is where my grandmother grew up.    I like how each story has the Italian version on top of the page and the translation just below it.   The stories are fun and interesting and really capture the Italian culture and lifestyle.  This is great for a classroom or for a child who is interested in learning Italian as well as any adult who wants to learn this beautiful language.   I took Italian in school so this  would be a nice refresher book for me.   I am very rusty but this book reminded me how much I enjoyed learning Italian.  

So Joe do you like today's book?    Enjoy

Flashback Tuesday: Many Luscious Lollipops by Ruth Heller

Today is apparently National Lollipop Day.   I have always liked lollipops~ I especially like orange flavored lollipops.

Many Luscious Lollipops by Ruth Heller is also one of my favorite Ruth Heller books.  I think it is because I love the cover and I love using adjectives.    Her use of words and images are really great in helping kids learn about language.   I always felt that her 'World of Language' series is a great way to teach even outside the classroom.   Don't you just love the cover....this book begs to be opened and read!

Get Talking Chinese from Dk Publishing

                                                           


Today is my nephew Joseph's 11th birthday.   He is the kind of kid who lives by his own rules.  I remember the day of his birth so clearly.   All week long my brother asked me if the baby was born in the middle of the night would I come and watch his other boys.   I said no problem.  So early Saturday morning on May 1, 1999 around 4am my brother called and said to come over.   I threw on some clothes and raced out the door.  They live about 40 minutes from me but I think I made in 30....when I got to their house I saw an ambulance and police car parked outside.   I raced inside to find a cop at the top of the stairs smiling, to quote him "it's a done deal"....little JoJo didn't wait until I got there or for the hospital he came when he wanted to....in his parents bed.   Like I said---he lives by his own rules.

This year I was struggling as to what gift I could get him....I saw one day a notice on their table for his classes next year.   Under language he checked off that he wanted to take Mandarin Chinese.   That's my JoJo~

Get Talking Chinese  from DK Publishing is a book for beginners.   It is perfect in that it not only explains about the language but talks about the Chinese culture too.  It even comes with a CD to help with pronunciation.   I am not sure how long my nephew will be interested in this but it couldn't hurt to help him along.  

Happy Birthday Joseph Anthony!