Pastatively Italy [With Learn to Speak Italian CD]

A vibrant visual format and a breezy first-person approach characterize this addition to the Passport to the World series. Charlie, an Italian American, animatedly describes his trip to Rome to visit family. He sips water from a fountain where Roman soldiers may have drunk; is thrilled to go out for pizza with his cousins as late as 10 at night; views the work of Michelangelo and other artists; and travels to such varied destinations as Venice and Pompeii. The text is informative and often graceful (Carrara's famous marble quarries ""glisten like snow""), although transitions are not always smooth and the ending feels rushed. The snappy, upbeat tone throughout owes much to the graphics. A green-and-white checked border, reminiscent of a tablecloth, stretches across the bottom of the pages, and doodled pasta shapes are interspersed with a playful but uneven assortment of images, among them children's drawings in black and white, stamps, maps, money and, of course, photographs. Unfortunately, the quality of the photos varies widely, with some too dark and a few so badly set up that their subjects are all but lost--a particular problem considering that none of the photos are captioned. Even so, Charlie's wide-eyed delight telegraphs itself so clearly that readers may well be left itching for a passport of their own. Ages 6-12. (Nov.) FYI: An audio CD offering an introductory Italian lesson is packaged with the book. Classroom aids for 1st-4th graders are available for each book in the series at $6.50 each.