Could life get more embarrassing?

Mariangela longs to play the piano; but when her Italian immigrant family arranges for accordion lessons instead, she can’t contain her disappointment. Who wants to be strapped to such a heavy, ugly old thing? But before she knows it, a mortified Mariangela is dragging the old accordion in a red wagon through the streets of Vancouver to her lessons. Try as she might, Mariangela can’t get the accordion to sing for her. Even her accordion teacher, whose two missing fingers and handsome looks fascinate her, cannot find a way to inspire his pupil. But he can tell stories, and through his own sometimes harrowing experiences, Mariangela gradually comes to understand both her family’s determination to start life in a new country and her own capacity to persevere.

Author Victoria Miles drew from her mother’s own misadventures with the accordion to create a rich tapestry of Italian immigrant life in Vancouver during the thirties. Funny, sad, and ultimately inspiring, Magnifico is a coming of age story that will stay with the reader for a very long time.

Reviews:
"Mariangela's narrating voice has character and momentum, making this an enjoyable and cheering read. With its large print, accessible vocabulary, and domestic story, it's a good choice for readers nine to 12."
-- Books for Young People

"A good choice for units on the immigrant experience or simply a story of coming of age."
-- School Library Journal Reviews

"Written by a local author who drew on her mother's stories of growing up Italian in Vancouver in the 1930s. Little Mariangela wants to play the piano but instead gets her grandfather's old accordion. It's too heavy to carry so she pulls it to her lessons in her old red wagon. A special accordion teacher's stories make both her heritage and the accordion something to be proud of."
-- Burnaby Now

"Victoria Miles incorporates numerous lessons within the context of the story and helps readers understand the challenges faced by new Canadians. The value of perseverance and optimism are repeatedly demonstrated by showing positive outcomes. Amidst the hardships during the Depression years, Miles adds balance to the story by also focusing on the highly anticipated visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Most importantly, music is shown to be a common denominator amongst cultures and people. The central feature of the book shows how music can portray emotions, transcend languages, and be a source of life and happiness to all listeners.
Highly Recommended."
--CM Magazine

"This is a warm family story, with characters lovingly and precisely sketched, from Mama (whose suitcase is always packed because she's ready to return to Italy at a moment's notice) and Papa (who remains loyal to his roots by practicing swearing in Italian, but only out in the carpentry shed), to baby Emelina (who's such a deep sleeper that she falls out of bed regularly).

Miles's evocation of the place and period is light-handed and persuasive, coming always from the child's eye. She shows Mariangelo's growth through small increments in the pleasures of friendship and in family solidarity, and in her budding awareness of the emotional lives of the adults around her. Mariangela's narrating voice has character and momentum, making this an enjoyable and cheering read. With its large print, accessible vocabulary, and domestic story, it's a good choice for readers 9 to 12."
--Quill & Quire

"This is an immigration story that will resonant with the experiences of all immigrants, not just Italians, and would be great as a read-aloud to supplement heritage studies in social studies curriculum. Young and old alike will be charmed by this rare peek into the culturally rich Italian community of Vancouver. Magnifico!" -- Canadian Children's Book News magazine

Victoria Miles is the author of Wild Science: Amazing Encounters Between Animals and the People Who Study Them, as well as numerous other books and short stories for children. Victoria lives in North Vancouver with her husband, photographer David Nunuk, daughters Emily and Daphne, and an unrequited longing to play the little red accordion that sleeps next to their sofa.

1550419609
5.5 x 8, 176 pages, Trade Cloth
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