You’re invited to visit the country known as Lo Stivale, a.k.a “The Boot,” and to spend some time with two of its young citizens in Families of Italy, the newest title in the award-winning Families of the World series, venturing onto DVD December 13, 2012 from Master Communications.
The series – 28 titles and growing – enables future travelers to reach across the globe and visit other people and cultures, all from a child’s point of view. Always focusing on two children from differing households, one urban, one rural, and narrated by children, Families of the World DVDs invite viewers to follow two families’ daily routines, introducing both the similarities and differences that exist between them, as well as us.
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe, the 24th most-developed country and the birthplace of Maritime republics and the Renaissance.
In Families of Italy, we meet Veronica, 14, who lives on a sheep farm in the Italian countryside with her parents, older brother Antonio and younger sister Kiara. Cheese is the family business, processing it right on the property from the milk of their 300 sheep. Kids may envy Veronica a little when they see she sometimes has cookies and milk for breakfast, but maybe not that she attends school six days a week (though Saturdays are half-days). During the week she helps her mother deliver their cheese to the local stores, often stopping by to visit her grandmother in town. Veronica also helps make the family’s favorite dessert, tiramisu, for the midday meal (called dinner), then finishes the 1-2 hours of homework she has every day. After dad has finished milking the sheep in the evening, he joins the family as they walk through nearby Salerno, admiring the Christmas lights that have been put on display for the season. The next day, Veronica takes us to the nearby ancient ruins, including Pompeii, that lie in the shadow of the massive, and (thankfully) quiet, Mt. Vesuvius.
Next we meet 10-year-old Luigi, who lives on an olive plantation with his parents, grandparents (he’s named after his grandfather Luigi) and siblings Antonia and Thomás. Olive oil is the family business, with local farmers coming to their on-site factory next to the house to have their olives pressed. Luigi plays tambourine in a music group and is normally an active boy but is recovering a broken ankle and is sporting a cast (courtesy of the country’s free healthcare). He attends school from September to June from morning until early afternoon, then returns home for dinner before helping round the farm, on which they grow kiwi, walnuts, oranges, pomegranates and a variety of vegetables. Come along with the family as they celebrate the Day of the Dead, during which they visit the tombs of their loved ones, leaving flowers and prayers. Then it’s back home to make pizzas with the grandparents before turning in for the night.
Families of the World is recommended for ages 5-11 and retails for $29.95. The series features families in Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico (includes Spanish and English soundtrack) and More Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Russia, Sweden, Thailand, the USA, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Germany and the Philippines.
Each DVD includes a free PDF Teacher’s Guide, which features the script, copy-ready maps, discussion and activity guides, recipes, glossaries and more. To order Families of the World DVDs, call 1-800-765-5885 or visit www.familiesoftheworld.com.
My Take on the DVD
This was a great DVD that made the world that much smaller for my family. With the fact that a large amount of my own family was from Italy in the past I loved he fact that this gave my own girls the opportunity to see firsthand what it was like to live and be a child there. The DVD is set up to open the viewers eyes to the differences and similarities of living in Italy which was great and my girls were able to gain such a broader understanding of everything that they have in their own life too. This was a great series that will open your whole family's eyes to the world around them. I highly recommend this to all!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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