The International Youth Library (IYL), the world's largest library of international books for children and young adults, compiles an annual list of best children's books from around the world called the White Ravens list.The 2011 list includes 250 titles in 30 languages from 40 countries. Of these, I found 14 poetry titles-- from 12 different countries. I took pictures of each of the books and found volunteers to read selections from 7 of them for a short video. Here is a poetry book from Italy on the 2011 White Ravens list.
ITALYZoboli, Giovanna (text)
Mulazzani, Simona (illus.)
Vorrei avere … (I wish I had …)
Milano: Topipittori, 2010. – [28] p.
ISBN 978-88-89210-47-5
Wish – Quality – Characteristic trait – Animals
This beautiful picture book presents a poem where the reader is invited to move through different landscapes on every page. The simple text is a list of wishes of sorts: “I wish I had” is one way to translate the title, but inside, double page after double page, wonderful possibilities are revealed which are
not material, but rather are connected to the verb “to be”. Every feature of an animal, like the huge ears of the elephant, is connected to the inner sense of using it to feel the world, to listen to the voice of the sky or to blend in, like the panther does, with the black of the night. The book is an invitation for eyes and ears to imagine such beauty, and to feel connected to the natural world and the harmony of the universe. (Age: 3+)Even though the Book Fair was in Italy, finding someone to read an Italian poem was surprisingly somewhat challenging! All my IBBY friends spoke OTHER languages! So, my IYL friends recommended a young man at the booth next door and he was kind enough to say yes when I approached him. He spoke English (with me), read the poem in Italian, then asked me if I had any Mandarin Chinese poetry I needed read aloud. Wow! Unfortunately, I have misplaced my notes with his name, so I'll have to come back and add that, when that info floats back to the top. Grazie!
Image credit: SV;IYL
Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2011. All rights reserved.
1 comment:
I loved listening to that, even though he could have been reciting a lasagne recipe for all I know:>)
The art looks beautiful! Sounds like an intriguing picture book.
Thanks for sharing, Sylvia!
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