Magnifico

by Victoria Miles

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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.… (more)

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YA Novel,
Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award Shortlist 2008
Chocolate Lily nominee 2007-2008
Rocky Mountain Book Award finalist, 2008

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Gr. 4-6. Eleven-year-old Mariangela Benitti dreams of playing the piano but comes home from school one day to find her grandfather's accordion waiting for her instead. Chalking it up to bad luck, she begins a love-hate relationship with the clunky, wheezy box of buttons and keys, suffering through humiliation, bullying, and hours of practice to overcome her lack of musical talent. Woven into a loose narrative are the stories of Mama and handsome accordion teacher Gioseff DeMarco, both Italian immigrants, who faced tragedy before making new lives in Canada. Their experiences, and the headlines coming from Europe in 1939, remind Mariangela how lucky she really is as she learns that triumph can emerge from disappointment. Miles evokes a rich set of images of a particular time and place, inspired by an accordion found in her garage. Nancy Kim
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

ICC-Library | Sep 23, 2008 |

Magnifico is a heartwarming tale of Mariangela, the 11-year-old daughter of Italian immigrants living in Canada in 1939. Mariangela wants to learn piano (she envies her cousin’s piano) but her family can not afford one. Instead, Nonna surprises her with an accordion. Mariangela, disappointed, doesn’t try very hard at first. Her accordion teacher, Gioseff, tries everything he can to inspire her: playing records, telling stories, protecting her from the neighborhood bully, but nothing seems to work. Throughout the story we see how her family and friends persevere in difficult situations, and through these situations, Mariangela figures out what she must do to succeed.

This book is an excellent story of immigrant life, perseverance, and how music can bring people together. It is recommended for children in grades 3-6, but I would recommend it for accordion lovers of all ages.

http://www.letspolka.com/2006/11/book-review-magnifico-by-victoria-miles/

annarama | Mar 25, 2008 |

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Chocolate Lily Reader's Choice Awards (Nominee – Novel (Grades 4 – 7) – 2008)

F. G. Bressani Literary Prize (Novel – 2008)

Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award (Nominee – 2008)

Rocky Mountain Book Award (Nominee – 2008)

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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.

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