Home ›

The Buzz on Bumbino, the Italian Bumble Bee

Posted on August 8, 2016

by Stephanie DeMarco, Global Philadelphia Ambassador

Follow Bumbino, the Italian Bumble Bee as he buzzes through the beautiful forest in Abruzzi, Italy in search of new friends. Bumbino struggles to make new friends, for fellow animals are told to stay away from his dangerous stinger. Bumbino is upset and disappointed until making friends with a young skunk who is shunned for his smell. Bumbino saves the life of a baby bird by stinging the predator fox. Bumbino becomes a hero and those that had originally shunned him now want to be his friend.

The tale of Bumbino teaches children the importance of accepting those who are different and to never give up on what you have set out to do. The illustrations are beautifully done with bright, engaging colors that bring the characters to life. While the story is in English, Italians words are integrated into the story to teach children new Italian vocabulary. Bumbino, the Italian Bumble Bee is a great introduction to the Italian language and even has a word guide with pronunciations for easy reference. At the end of the book, author Art Manno provides a list “Bee Attitudes” – a daily living guide for children to remind children to “Bee Nice, Bee Kind, Bee Helpful, etc.” In order to spark children’s creativity, the last few pages are blank for young readers to color in themselves.

Art Manno hopes that readers “take something away after reading the book. It’s more than just a story, it’s a learning lesson.” Art was inspired to write his book after noticing the lack of Italian heroes or characters in children’s books and hopes it inspires individuals to learn more about Italian culture. Bumbino offers something for all ages. From teaching children life lessons to giving adults an introduction to the Italian language, Bumbino, the Italian Bumble Bee helps lay the foundation for the knowledge and outlook needed to function in a globalized world.

Author: Art Manno
Paperback: 46 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse (October 15, 2014)
ISBN-10: 1496940733