2nd June Republic Day in Italy Festa della Repubblica

On this day, a massive celebration takes place in the city of Rome to celebrate the creation of the Italian Republic. It celebrates the day when Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in 1946 so their country could become a republic. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

To celebrate in the library we have put together some books about Italy, books about people born in Italy and things that come from Italy.

Books about Italy or set in Italy:

• This Is Rome and This is Venice by Miroslav Sasek

• Dodsworth in Rome  by Tim Egan

• Mr Chicken Arriva a Roma  by Leigh Hobbs

• Olivia Goes to Venice  by Ian Falconer

• Gabriella's Song by Candace Fleming and Giselle Potter

• The Legend of Old Befana by Tomie dePaola

•  The Mysterious Giant of Barletta by Tomie dePaola

• Strega Nona  by Tomie dePaola

• Tony's Bread  by Tomie dePaola

• The King of Capri  by Jeanette Winterson

• Paola Emperor of Rome  by Mac Barnett

• Madeline and the Cats of Rome  by John Bemelmans Marciano

Books about famous Italians:

Fibonacci mathematician • Blockhead: the Life of Fibonacci  by Joseph D'Agnese

Brunelleschi architect • Pippo the Fool  by Tracey Fern 

Vivaldi musician • Vivaldi's Four Seasons by Anna Harwell Celenza 

                            • I,Vivaldi  by Janice Shefelman

Leonardo da Vinci artist • Leonardo da Vinci  by Karen Ball

                            • Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer by Robert Byrd

                            • Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo Da Vinci  by Gene Baretta

                            • Leonardo's Horse  by Jean Fritz

                            • The Genius of Leonardo da Vinci by Guido Visconti

Michelangelo sculptor • Stone Giant: Michelangelo's David and How He Came to Be by Jane Sutcliffe

Gallileo astronomer • I, Gallileo by Bonnie Christensen

                           • Starry Messenger  by Peter Sis

Schiaparelli designer • Bloom the Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kyo Maclear

Marconi inventor • Making Contact: Marconi Goes Wireless by Monica Kulling

Montessori education • Maria Montessori  by Isabel Sanchez  Vegara

Saint Francis of Assisi • The Song of Francis by Tomie dePaola

Books about Pompeii and volcanic eruptions:

• Escape from Pompeii by Christina Ballit

• Volcano: Leap Through Time  by Nicholas Harris

• Pompeii... Buried Alive! by Edith Kunhardt

Books about Italian inventions:

• Pasta by Felice Arena

• The Story of Pasta and How to Cook It  by Stephen Guarnaccia

• Pino and Signora's Pasta by Janet Pederson

• Eat, Leo! Eat!  by Caroline Anderson

• Pizza a Slice of History by Greg Pizzoli

• A Thousand Glass Flowers  by Evan Turk

• The Glassmaker's Daughter by Dianne Hofmeyr