Jenna Evans Welch
This book is a great summer indulgence; it takes place in Italy so you feel like you're on vacation as you read it! I will hesitantly admit however, this may be more of a "girl" read than a "boy" read, even though I do think everyone can get something out of the story.
Lina is the main character who goes to Florence, Italy to live with her father Henry after her mother dies. Lina's grandmother has told her to go in order to meet her father, and experience Florence as her mother did when she was young. The author does a nice job describing Lina's grief and loss, and the confusion of meeting a father she never knew. The character's confusion of having to deal with death and having to navigate a new country was an effective combination.
When Lina arrives in Florence Henry gives her her mother's journal, which tells the story of her young adult life in Italy and the story of her father. I enjoyed the mother's journal entries, as it went back and forth from Lina's journey to her mother's perspective. In the journal, her mother describes her father as the mysterious "boyfriend X" and it leads Lina to think Henry may not be her father. With a new Italian friend, Ren, she investigates the places in Florence her mother went and tries to figure out who, indeed her father might be.
As she zips through Italy with Ren, the reader will experience Italian art, culture, gelato, and even better...pizza. I loved that the author included Italian phrases to pick up pieces of the Italian language too. This is a story about finding out who we are, family, and the adventures that make a lifetime of memories.
BIG SHOUT-OUT: A very special thank-you to the Wilkins and Vasquez families who donated this book to Madison's library.
Lina is the main character who goes to Florence, Italy to live with her father Henry after her mother dies. Lina's grandmother has told her to go in order to meet her father, and experience Florence as her mother did when she was young. The author does a nice job describing Lina's grief and loss, and the confusion of meeting a father she never knew. The character's confusion of having to deal with death and having to navigate a new country was an effective combination.
When Lina arrives in Florence Henry gives her her mother's journal, which tells the story of her young adult life in Italy and the story of her father. I enjoyed the mother's journal entries, as it went back and forth from Lina's journey to her mother's perspective. In the journal, her mother describes her father as the mysterious "boyfriend X" and it leads Lina to think Henry may not be her father. With a new Italian friend, Ren, she investigates the places in Florence her mother went and tries to figure out who, indeed her father might be.
As she zips through Italy with Ren, the reader will experience Italian art, culture, gelato, and even better...pizza. I loved that the author included Italian phrases to pick up pieces of the Italian language too. This is a story about finding out who we are, family, and the adventures that make a lifetime of memories.
BIG SHOUT-OUT: A very special thank-you to the Wilkins and Vasquez families who donated this book to Madison's library.