Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Piccolo, a "very helpful" shrew sporting a jaunty scarf and cap, begins the day sipping coffee on a balcony overlooking an Italian cityscape rendered in golds, yellows, and oranges that radiate with promise. "Che città bella! What a beautiful city!" he exclaims. The shrew next makes plans to visit his favorite spots, starting with Miss Dolce's gelateria ("It's never too early for gelato!"). But before Piccolo can dig into a scoop of his beloved hazelnut, a cascade of requests for help arrives from the character's many anthropomorphized friends. As he zips around on a turquoise motor scooter, each act of assistance takes Piccolo through places he loves in the town he loves, and even up to its highest heights: a final act, recovering a friend's hat, leads him up a tower's winding staircase and out to a clockface. Working in saturated, digitally enhanced brush and ink, Yaccarino (Bear and the Three Goldilocks) creates a world in which helping others facilitates la dolce vita--and dolci, too. An Italian glossary concludes. Ages 3--7. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--"Buongiorno!" "Ciao, amico!" "Per favore aiuto!" Brightening the flavor of his narrative with Italian expressions--each punctiliously translated in place without affecting the flow, and also in a visual glossary at the end--Yaccarino sends Piccolo, a helpful shrew, motoring about his quaint if hilly città bella (beautiful city) on a scooter, greeting friends and lending a paw at need. After performing various tasks that take him to the art museum, the local ruins, and other favorite destinations, Piccolo arrives at day's end at his very favorite spot, the gelateria, only to find it closed! Ah, but here is Miss Dolce, the kindly owner, with one last favor to beg: "I have some extra hazelnut gelato but no one to share it with." A button-eyed animal cast waves amiably from illustrations that seem as simple as their sketchy figures and flattened perspectives--but on closer inspection reveal such strokes of sophisticated wit as a praying mantis in monkish robes and tonsure, and in the museum a tweaked version of a famous ancient sculpture that might be redubbed "Raccoön." VERDICT A happy taste of Italian language and culture, sweet as gelato and bound to leave readers and listeners of any age responding "Grazie."--John Peters
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Get ready to embark on an enchanting trip through Bella Città (Beautiful City). The splendors of Italy are on full display as dapper shrew Piccolo decides to enjoy a day dedicated to visiting his favorite places. An initial trip to Miss Dolce's Gelateria is interrupted, however, when he hears cries for help from his vulpine pal, Mr. Rosso. The fox needs to move his painting to the museum, and since the institution is on Piccolo's list of places to visit, he's more than happy to assist. What follows is a series of sequences in which Piccolo aids friends and neighbors, visiting a fountain, the ancient ruins, a theater, and a garden along the way. A more fervent picture-book tribute to Italy may not exist. Yaccarino's bold artwork makes excellent use of texture and shading; small joys abound, too, as in the clever references to famous artworks found in the book's art museum (noteThe Vitruvian Man depicted as an octopus). Italian words appear throughout; translations are included at the book's end, though some might take issue with gelato being equated with ice cream, as the two are made differently. Even so, this paean to Italian lands, culture, and food is a perfect read for anyone planning a trip there or for those who simply wish to read their children a tale soaked in the sights and sounds of the country. A love letter to Italy at its best and a snazzy charmer of a book through and through.(Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
