3 out of 4 stars
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Every child has a sense of what they want to be when they grow up. Some children will say that they want to be doctors or teachers. You might hear a few say they want to be athletes or dentists. You’ll hear a lot of professions, but when a child tells you they want to be a violinist, that might catch your attention. In Pauline Furmanczyk-Winogron’s Giovanni (The Great), we are introduced to two talented boys; Antonio D’Angelo and Giovanni Ciccione. Antonio has a natural talent for the violin and wants to be a famous violinist so he can help support his family. Giovanni has a beautiful voice that enthralls anyone who hears it. Despite the natural talent of both boys, they face serious handicaps in life. A freak accident when he was younger caused Antonio the loss two fingers on his right hand and two on his left that are partially cut off. What’s Giovanni’s handicap you ask? He’s a cockroach.
The cover of the book interested me and I instantly assumed that the story would have something to do with performing. I enjoyed the fact that as soon as the story began, the author jumped right into the introduction of the two main characters. Up until the end, the plot had an easy pace that made the story a pleasant read. The ending was bit rushed and not fleshed out enough for my liking, but I enjoyed everything else. I enjoyed the characters and their development the most.
When introduced to both boys, their handicaps weren’t immediately mentioned. I applauded this tactic as it allowed readers to get to know the characters before they knew their challenges. Antonio is a well-mannered ten-year-old who is both a source of joy and pride to his parents. When his disability is introduced, we see the strong and driven aspect of his character. The book states about Antonio, “Though he had this handicap, he had trained himself to do everything any normal ten-year-old boy could do.” We see proof of this in his determination to practice the violin every night despite being told that he’ll never be a violinist because of his hands. Antonio is a very important character for children to read about because of his resilience and determination against the odds.
Another character we are introduced to in the story is the titular character, Giovanni. At first, readers are led to assume that Giovanni is an ordinary human boy like Antonio. We learn earlier on about his love for singing because his mother sung to him as a baby. Even when he was revealed to be a cockroach, that wasn’t the main concern. The concern became how others (humans) would treat him. We see in the story the prejudice Antonio and Giovanni’s parents have for one another. Antonio’s parents are disgusted by bugs and Giovanni’s parents think all humans are horrible and violent. Despite their families’ opinions, the boys become fast friends over a love for music. They both support each other and help the other on the path to accomplish their goals.
At the end, I expected a little more. I expected a little more attention to be given to the discrimination that Giovanni and his family faces. I also expected to see more of an acceptance of Giovanni from all the humans around him. The story had been well paced until it suddenly ended and I felt there was still so much more that needed to be said. Also, I felt that the title should be changed. The story was about both boys and not just solely Giovanni.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The ending is the sole reason that I can’t give it 4 stars. Despite the sudden end to the story, everything else was well developed. The book has so many powerful messages that children and adults need to know. With Antonio, readers learn that children with disabilities are still ordinary children who can accomplish amazing feats with effort and determination. With Giovanni, there is a message that all life is precious. Even bugs have a right to live just like humans. We also learn that the smallest of creatures can be amazing too. I would recommend this book to anyone as everyone can learn something from it. This book is needed on every shelf.
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Giovanni (The Great)
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