This illustrated story has been designed for bilingual children and others wishing to read a parallel text in English and Italian. For ease of understanding, the languages are displayed together just one or two sentences at a time.
The aim was to make translation as direct as possible but always using everyday language of native speakers.
Basil, Rosemary and the Pansy sisters are lively, chatty little plants. They think they know some stuff, but when it comes to this animal, they know nothing. One wild assumption leads to another and gets them into big trouble.
Excerpt from the Story:
The Pansy sisters lived in a green flowerpot below an old oak tree. They shared the pot with Basil, Rosemary and Monkey.
Le sorelle Viola vivevano in un verde vaso di fiori sotto un vecchio albero di quercia. Condividevano il vaso con Basilico, Rosmarina e Scimmia.
Rosemary and the Pansy sisters liked picking on Basil. The sisters’ bright colours scared him and he wanted them to be quiet.
Spesso, Rosmarina e le sorelle Viola prendevano in giro Basilico. I vivaci colori delle sorelle lo spaventavano, mentre lui amava la quiete.
"Basil, you’re so daft!" said the sisters, "monkeys climb trees!"
Monkey ignored them but he was different. Monkey was an animal.
"Basilico, tu sei così stupido!" dicevano le sorelle, "le scimmie si arrampicano sugli alberi!"
Scimmia le ignorò, lui era diverso. Scimmia era un animale.
