The Thread of Life: Twelve Old Italian Tales

The acclaimed illustrator of the Harry Potter series brings her expressive, unmistakable style to this charming collection of classic Italian fairy tales. A dozen traditional children's stories handed down through the generations in Italy (including a delightful twist on the familiar legend of Cinderella) are accompanied with Mary GrandPré's vivid, evocative artwork, which has been hailed worldwide and was featured on the cover of Time magazine. Folk and fairy tales from other countries provide a great way for children to learn about different cultures, and this enchanting volume is sure to become a family favorite.

Domenico Vittorini was born in Italy and received his Doctor of Letters at the University of Rome in 1916. After coming to the United States he taught at Princeton and Temple Universities, and spent thirty-nine years on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Vittorini is an internationally recognized authority on Italian literature and culture, and the author of several books on Italian literature including The Age of Dante. Mary GrandPre is best known as the illustrator whose drawings of Harry Potter and friends first brought their faces to millions of loyal readers. She is also the illustrator of many picutre books for children, including The Sea Chest and Aunt Clair's Yellow Beehive Hair. Her art has been called "radiant" and "enchanting" and continues to garner rave reviews from kids of all ages. Ms. GrandPre lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.