In English, of Course [Paperback]

Josephine Nobisso (Author), Dasha Ziborova (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Set in the Bronx during the 1950s, when postwar immigrant children were placed in their first American classrooms, this delightful story tells of the riotous linguistic misunderstandings of Josephine’s first day of school. The daughter of savvy Italian engineers, Josephine has lived in the city long enough to have learned a few words in English, but is overcome when her teacher makes her stand up in front of the class and tell about her life in Italy—in English, of course. The result is a charming tale of adventures and multicultural miscommunications as Josephine attempts to make herself understood. Children will come to understand that sometimes people underestimate the talent and dignity of newcomers to the United States and will embark on a poignant journey as Josephine tells her incredible story the best way she knows how and attempts to understand her English-speaking teacher and classmates.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Josephine is an Italian immigrant whose first day of school is spent exchanging stories with her classmates about their countries of origin. The setting is the Bronx, 1955. Ziborova's mixed-media collages present these moments with vivid imagery, sly humor, and a delightful sense of design. A cutout of Ling-Li, dressed in magenta silk brocade, is surrounded by a photographed dragon sculpture and peony, as well as a painted rickshaw and rice bowl; a Chinese painting with traditional symbols in sepia tones forms the background. Al, who hails from Jupiter, FL, is dressed in a spacesuit and placed in a constellation of dolphins and palm trees. The heroine is sure she can detect his alien accent. Josephine does not know the English words to describe her native Napoli, so she discusses a trip to a farm. Her escapades with a cow and pig, leading to "much river in mouth," are hilariously paced by author and illustrator. As the child enacts the drama, her teacher supplies the unknown words; she is thus able to finish the tale on her own. (Nobisso elaborates on this technique and her writing workshops in a postscript.) All who have struggled to communicate in a group (whether or not they share a common language) will relate to and enjoy this slice of life.
Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. Inspired by her own experiences in a New York City immigrant community, Nobisso puts a recent young arrival on the spot in this amusing classroom episode. When it's Josephine's turn to introduce herself to her multicultural classmates, she tries to talk about her native Naples. Instead she gets sidetracked into a hilarious account of her encounter visit to a farm, gamely supplementing her limited English with vocal expressions, body language, and occasional prompts from the teacher to help her find the right word. Placing brightly colored paper-collage figures against muted, impressionistic backgrounds, Ziborova portrays a live-wire young storyteller in a stylish beret, getting her tale across as best she can. Far from being frustrated or embarrassed, Josephine is pleased to have learned so many new English words during the course of her report. She is last seen working up a new exposition about "castles" and "Roman ruins"--in English, of course. An engaging and unusual tale, with special appeal to children discouraged or intimidated by the challenges of expressing themselves across a language barrier. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Gingerbread House; 1 edition (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940112086
• ISBN-13: 978-0940112087
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 12.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,452,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Josephine Nobisso's first story appeared in a national magazine when she was 18. Since then, she has published over fifty books, mostly for children.

Each year, to rave evaluations, Miss Nobisso conducts about 100 workshops in "The Nobisso Recommendations: Guiding Students to Write in Their Authentic Voices," part of which comes to life in her book, Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing. a book for which she received "The Global Learning Initiative Award" for "The Best Trade Book with Educational Application"-- a singular citation jointly administered by the Association of Education Publishers and the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

The National Catholic Educational Association named her "Distinguished Graduate," and Delta Kappa Gamma--the international society of honored teachers-- named her "Friend of Education," for "someone outside the profession who has worked significantly toward improving the educational opportunities of others, and who has given outstanding service to promoting quality education."

Among the very many honors that Miss Nobisso books have received are five other awards for Show; Don't Tell! Secrets of Writing: the International Reading Association/Children's Book Council "Children's Choice Award," an American Booksellers Association BookSense "Pick of the Lists" citation, a Parents' Choice Award, a National Parenting Publications Award, and was a ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Finalist.

Born February 9, 1953, in the Bronx, Miss Nobisso homeschooled her daughter, Maria Nicotra, the Art Director of Gingerbread House, the press they founded together. Miss Nobisso and her family live on the East End of Long Island.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Picture Book, January 7, 2004

By 

Lee C. Moorhead "Well-read" (RHD, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In English, of Course (Paperback)

I haven't had such a good laugh in a long time. This book is written very well and the illustrations are a great complement! As a preschool teacher in a setting where many children are learning English as a second language, this book helped me to open up conversations with the children. Most times, esp ESL children are shy when speaking in a group. But after reading this book, many of my children opened up
( By the way, my father's family was also from Napoli, Italia :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A light-hearted story that shows the frustrations and humor of learning a second language, October 5, 2009

By 

American Immigration Council's Community Educ... (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In English, of Course (Paperback)

In this picture book, Josephine tries to tell her English class about her hometown of Naples, Italy. The teacher, who clearly knows very little about city-life in Italy, tries to help Josephine tell the story. The result is a far-fetched tale about Josephine's life on a farm. This light-hearted story, illustrated with delightful pen and ink drawings, shows the frustrations, and humor, involved in learning a second language. This book would work well for young elementary school students or TESOL students in early or intermediate grades.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Organic Mama Reads: In English, Of Course, October 29, 2010

By 

Organic Mama Cafe - See all my reviews

This review is from: In English, of Course (Paperback)

Josephine Nobisso, the daughter of Italian immigrants who grew up in the Bronx, is very familiar with the reality of learning to tell a story in two languages. Her book highlights the experience of little Josephine, whose teacher helps her learn the vocabulary words she needs to tell her class a little about herself and a hilarious visit to a farm. Very cute book and not bad for helping native English speakers learn a few new words!
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