Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story - Perfect Picture Book Buzz #PPBF

I love the poetry and prose of Charles Ghigna and was really intrigued and excited to learn about his first nonfiction biography picture book. His characteristic whimsy and love of words shines through this heartfelt and empowering book about the magic and power of books and family history.

Book cover - a young man stands in 1800's New York City holding an open book as a bunch of books fly above his head.

Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story

Author: Charles Ghigna

Illustrator: Anna Forlati

Publisher: Schiffer Kids (2024)

Ages: 4-8

Nonfiction

Themes:

Immigration, books, stories, and family heritage.

Synopsis:

A heartwarming picture book about Carlo, a young Italian immigrant in 1800s New York City, that celebrates books and family as it instills the values of heritage, perseverance, and the love of learning.

Transcending borders and generations, Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story follows Carlo as he leaves his home in Italy and travels far away to New York City to create a new life. Carlo finds a job as a bookbinder and learns the skills of the trade, cultivating a love of books, words, and stories that he passes to future generations.

Featuring stunning, atmospheric illustrations depicting Carlo’s immigrant journey, this picture book is based on the experiences of the author's great-grandfather. The uplifting true story inspires children ages four to eight to learn about their family history and how it shapes and lives on in them today.

Opening Lines:

Carlo lived on a farm at the edge of a forest in Italy.

By day he milked cows and chopped wood.

At night after his chores, he read books by candlelight.

What I LOVED about this book:

I love how from this succinct description of Carlo and the dreamy twilight scene, we learn of this young boy's connection to cattle, nature (especially trees), and books. All of this and his remote, hardworking life in Italy will become very important.

Internal image - On the left, a boy with a staff, stands in front of a full moon, leading a herd of cows home. On the right, a small house at the edge of a forest.

Text © Charles Ghigna, 2024. Image © Anna Forlati, 2024.

I love how Anna Forlati's softly textured, almost chalk-like illustration captures Carlo engrossed in a book as wonder and magic emanate as sparkles and carry his imagination on adventures to far off places. An experience many will relate to (even if they've swapped a flashlight for a candle). And how Charles Ghigna connects Carlo's life to the scent of his beloved books.

Internal image - on the left, four family members alseep in a big bed with a trail of sparkles carrying an image of a boat and dolphins and an image of a tiger and a man in India up and over them. On the right, a boy reading a book by candlelight, while sparkles swirl out of the book and around him.g by a

Text © Charles Ghigna, 2024. Image © Anna Forlati, 2024.

The warm smell of the leather book covers

and the faint scent of the forest rose from the pages.

The golden glow of candlelight filled his dreams

with people in faraway places.

As a young man, Carlo traveled to America. Anna Forlati beautifully captured the architecture, clothing, and ambiance of 1800's New York. With limited English, Carlo wandered about New York City alone and lonely. The mostly sepia tones of the illustration palette create a wonderfully stark contrast for the red cap and coat of his solitary figure passing along a street. When by chance he found a bookbinder shoppe and the books' magic mesmerized and delighted him. Fortunately for him, the owner realizes he's an immigrant, speaks Italian, and has an opening. Accepting a job, Carlo learned to make books and learned English reading late into the night.

Internal spread - as two non-descript ladies walk past, the young man gazes enthralled at the sparkling, wonderous books in a shoppe window.

I love the symmetry between the young boy reading my candlelight and the young man reading until his fire died. Carlo's love for the books he made is beautifully connected back to the beginning both in text, "he could smell the forest coming through the pages . . . almost feel the warmth of the cattle coming through the leather covers of his books" and illustrations of oblong shapes becoming defined as cattle moving down the curve of a page toward the gutter and multiple conical shapes rising up onto the next page. All overseen by a full moon and the swirling sparkles of imagination and wonder.

The stunningly beautiful ending connects the author to Carlo and the magic, wonder, and love for books they shared. Gently encouraging readers to explore their own family connections and stories. A heartfelt ode to his Italian heritage, this nonfiction biography gently explores the immigrant experience, perseverance, and the love of stories passed through multiple generations.

Resources:

make & bind your own book. You can do cloth or foam bound, origami, accordion, string bound, or using paper bags.

watch how book binding has changed from handmade - Victoria & Albert Museum, to machine assisted - The Science Channel & Arion Press - to totally machine created - Factory.

If you missed my interview with Charles Ghigna, on Monday, find it (here).

This post is part of a series by authors and KidLit bloggers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays. For more picture book suggestions and resources see Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Books.