I've been looking for children's books about Venice so I can get my bambini properly propagandized before the July trip. I figured the Marco Polo story had probably been defanged and sweetened into kiddy format by some children's author somewhere, since the protagonist was young and adventurous. All I could find was an out of print Classic Comics edition published by Gallery Books called Journey of Marco Polo.
They lost me exactly 4 seconds into the book. Here are the first 2 frames.
Count the errors. Frame 1 ... no navy ever sailed into Venice until the French in 1797 ... Santa Maria della Salute was built over 350 years later. Frame 2 .... the Rialto bridge was built about 300 years later ... no army, navy, airforce or garden club ever captured Venice during the Republic other than Napoleon ... the battle of Curzola was fought a year earlier in the seas of southern Dalmatia.
I'm surprised we don't see a vaporetto chugging through the Molo or an Internet cafe in the background.
My good friend Garry Kilworth has written a great kids' book called 'The Silver Claw' which is set in a Venice occupied by animals.It's aimed at children of about 10 and older and, although it is a fictional place, the book really conjures up the magic of Venice. I'm sure the bambini would love it.
===================
thanks, I'm hunting it down.
N.
Posted by: Andrew | June 09, 2006 at 05:48 AM
A series with the main character named "lisabetta" was recommeded to me. I believe she "goes to the Rialto" etc. A nice way to learn Italian for the beginner.
Posted by: Kurt | June 09, 2006 at 04:14 PM
Just got back from Venice and there were books there but what about this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789312239/104-6333415-5906367?v=glance&n=283155
Posted by: GS | June 09, 2006 at 07:44 PM