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roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
This turns out to be based on a true story, and it's written in a quick and engaging way. I enjoyed the story and the light mystery. The chapter where Signora Pagano refuses to cook was hilarious.
christina_likes_to_read's review against another edition
5.0
What a delightful little book. I read this aloud to my 9 year old son and my 7 year old daughter. We laughed and giggled through many parts (especially the parts where the mom sang to the food she was cooking.) It was a little slow to start, but was a beautiful story. There were so many wonderful parts that lent themselves very nicely to deeper discussions and I enjoyed taking that time with my kids. I am not sure that either of my children would have ever read this book on their own. However, it is such a wonderful book and is not one to be passed by. I am sure I will read this book again in the future to my younger son. 4.5 stars.
hartabigail's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
naymo's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book. Great story, fun dialogue and lessons throughout. Read it with my kids as part of our homeschool curriculum and they loved it, too!
rheren's review against another edition
2.0
Huge build-up, to kind of a bait and switch: I thought the whole thing ended too conveniently to justify the amount of angst we had to get through leading up to it. I was really disappointed, because the hilarious banter and back-and-forth at the beginning led me to really look forward to more of the book, but after the first few chapters there was very little that I found funny. The book was okay, but I found it rather disappointing. Some of my objections are in the spoiler section below, and won't make sense unless you've read the book.
How did the cave get such a fearsome reputation in the first place? How could the cave, if it's as small as described, have attracted their attention in the first place? How did they all suddenly agree with no discussion to bring along Michele's friend after swearing themselves to secrecy? Why did the father feel honor-bound to accompany his guests over the objections of his wife? Did no teenage boy in the history of the island ever visit the cave on a dare or out of boredom? There was a lot of the story that just didn't make sense to me, and by the end I was kind of rolling my eyes.
Spoiler
How did the cave get such a fearsome reputation in the first place? How could the cave, if it's as small as described, have attracted their attention in the first place? How did they all suddenly agree with no discussion to bring along Michele's friend after swearing themselves to secrecy? Why did the father feel honor-bound to accompany his guests over the objections of his wife? Did no teenage boy in the history of the island ever visit the cave on a dare or out of boredom? There was a lot of the story that just didn't make sense to me, and by the end I was kind of rolling my eyes.
amyinthewind's review against another edition
5.0
This is a book I read aloud to Aurora this year for Sonlight. As an adult, I found it delightful! It is well-written & funny. As a homeschool parent, I loved the book for its educational value in teaching painlessly about the history & culture of Capri and it's very famous gem, the Blue Grotto.
crystalathome's review against another edition
3.0
This was a slow read for us. I only kept going to find out what would happen at the end but with all the build-up about the cove, my daughter and I found the end to be a let down. I expected something exciting. We did research the real location after we finished and it’s beautiful.
ehays84's review against another edition
3.0
A sweet little book that I read to Jackson. This one was a recommendation from the cousins. I have of course read about Capri in history books (home of Roman Emperors) and watched the Rick Steves episode which includes it, so I knew about the (spoiler alert) blue grotto already. But the book was still sweet and charming. It just didn't have a whole lot of depth to it. But we all need a fun, escapist book set in a beautiful setting every once in a while.
hidingzeus's review against another edition
4.0
This was a delight. It was funny and charming and Signora Pagano is hands down my favorite.
kforney's review against another edition
4.0
The dialogue stands out as phenomenal! It was an enjoyable read, a cute children's book.