Module 1 Book 2 Vendela in Venice-translated from Swedish.

A.Bibiliography:
Bjork,Christina and Eriksson Inga-Karin. Translated from the Swedish by Patricia Crampton. New York, NY: R& S books. ISBN: 9129 64559x.
B.Plot Summary:
Young Swede Vendela relives the magical and sometimes surprising week that she spent in Venice as a tourist with her father by compiling a scrapbook of postcards, memorabilia and diary like recollections.

C. Critical Analysis (with cultural markers.)

Vendela in Venice is about a Swedish girl,Vendela who vacations with her father in Venice. She appreciates the beauty of Venice and compares it to her native Stockholm.
The book tells of the monuments, museums, restaurants and churches of Venice but does not provide details about many Italians. The natives of Venice do notice the difference between themselves and the main characters of the book, Vendela and her Father. An Italian doctor nicknames Vendela,"ochi-blu" or blue eyes.

The book was originally written in Swedish for a Swedish audience. It is meant to show Swedes a portrait of Venice. It provides a glimpse of the life of the city as experienced by two Swedes.
The author does not idealize this famous tourist destination. Vendela complains about trash in the canals.

Readers are also introduced to a new language that is set apart. The Italian words are written in italics.

Bjork, the author is not writing about characters outside her own culture. Her main characters are from her own culture but are learning about a new culture as tourists. Thus the father and daughter of the story experience Italian culture but they are removed from it because they are tourists. Because they are tourists, they never experience Italian home life. The book does not try to depict a typical Italian home.

Not surprisingly the clothes worn by the Venetians and the Italians do not differ significantly. The facial features of the Swedes and the Venetians are not that different either.

The author does attempt to portray the lack of cultural familiarity when she shows the heroine's reactions to the less touristy aspects of Venice like the fishmarket where the fishmongers chop newly killed fish into pieces. Blood runs everywhere as the fishmongers complete their gruesome work. Vendela is shocked by this less than pretty aspect of the picturesque, tourist filled city. The author is careful to describe not only the historic Venice but the contemporary Venice with its modern day challenges such as garbage pick up and produce delivery. Vendela observes Italians delivering produce on a barge piled so high with tomatoes, that the produce topples.

The beautiful illustrations with collages of post cards, reproductions of famous Italian paintings and photo montages of landmarks like the stone lions of Venice create the feel of a travel journal with souvenirs glued inside. The beautifully detailed, vibrant watercolors of people and places, as well as little drawings on the bottoms of the pages also give the book the feel of a travel journal or an impromptu scrap book. Little bits of memorabilia such as drawings of ticket stubs and glass beads adorn the pages and add to the scrapbook effect. The endpapers of the book also include beautiful maps of Venice.

The author provides a helpful glossary of Italian words and fast facts in a final section entitled Things You Might Like to Know. There is also a list of adult books about Venice and a time line of important historical dates.



D. Review Excerpts

School Library Journal:
A must-read for armchair and actual travel enthusiasts, the book will also provide accurate and easily accessed data for reports.-

The Horn Book:
An enchanting introduction to the fabled Italian city, as seen by a Swedish child whose father takes her there for Easter vacation.

E.Connections:
Young adults and older children who enjoyed these books might want to find guide books about Venice.

Look for these other books about young travelers and travelogues:
Mauner,Claudia. Zoe Sophia's Scrapbook: An Adventure in Venice.
ISBN: 9780811836067
Knight,Joan. Charlotte in London.
ISBN: 9780811856355
McCauley, David. Rome Antics.
ISBN: 0395822793