In English, of Course
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Josephine is an Italian immigrant whose first day of school is spent exchanging stories with her classmates about their countries of origin. The setting is the Bronx, 1955. Ziborova's mixed-media collages present these moments with vivid imagery, sly humor, and a delightful sense of design. A cutout of Ling-Li, dressed in magenta silk brocade, is surrounded by a photographed dragon sculpture and peony, as well as a painted rickshaw and rice bowl; a Chinese painting with traditional symbols in sepia tones forms the background. Al, who hails from Jupiter, FL, is dressed in a spacesuit and placed in a constellation of dolphins and palm trees. The heroine is sure she can detect his alien accent. Josephine does not know the English words to describe her native Napoli, so she discusses a trip to a farm. Her escapades with a cow and pig, leading to "much river in mouth," are hilariously paced by author and illustrator. As the child enacts the drama, her teacher supplies the unknown words; she is thus able to finish the tale on her own. (Nobisso elaborates on this technique and her writing workshops in a postscript.) All who have struggled to communicate in a group (whether or not they share a common language) will relate to and enjoy this slice of life.Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public LibraryCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.