Paolo, Emperor of Rome

by Mac Barnett (Author) Claire Keane (Illustrator)

Paolo, Emperor of Rome
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
A daring dog takes a whirlwind tour of Rome in search of freedom in new picture book from beloved storyteller Mac Barnett and masterful illustrator Claire Keane.  Paolo the dachshund is trapped. Though he lives in Rome, a city filled with history and adventure, he is confined to a hair salon. Paolo dreams of the sweet life--la dolce vita--in the Eternal City. And then, one day, he escapes! Paolo throws himself into the city, finding adventure at every turn. Join our hero as he discovers the wonders of Rome: the ruins, the food, the art, the opera, and--of course--the cats. Readers will cheer the daring of this bighearted dog, whose story shows that even the smallest among us can achieve great things.
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Hardcover
$17.99

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Kirkus

A canine escapee gets his own Roman holiday. 

Paolo, a dachshund, would rather explore the streets of Rome than lie around inside his hair-salon home. Every time he dares to make an escape out the door, his owner, Signora Pianostrada, blocks her “Lazy Paolo” with her foot. But one day, Signora Pianostrada starts putting curlers in a client’s hair before remembering to close the door, and off Paolo goes. The pup’s newfound freedom takes him all over Rome—for, as he says, unlike the statues he sees, “I am made of muscles, and can go wherever I please.” He stares down cats in a field full of ruins. He becomes leader of a pack of dogs. He even tries his hand at heroics. Above all else, he conquers the city, proving that he’s more imperial than lazy. Barnett’s theatrical narrator works in tandem with the hilariously pompous pooch to carry this rib-tickling romp with infectious bravado. Keane’s illustrations feature thick black outlines and an earthy, Mediterranean color palette applied with the look of oil pastels. The beautifully textured architecture and action sequences harken back to classic picture-book artists like Ludwig Bemelmans, Dr. Seuss, and H.A. Rey. A pair of wordless spreads even gives the pup a wild rumpus. Though it’s mostly an animal story, the human characters are racially diverse. Endpapers depict a small map of Rome with Italian labels. 

Molto bene! (Picture book. 4-8) 

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Paolo the dachshund is trapped in a hair salon on Rome's Via Torino, unable to see for himself the wonders he suspects lie beyond its glass door. But one lucky day, the door is left open, and what he finds is even better than he had dreamed. The classic architectural lines of the ancient city provide scope for imagination: "How beautiful to build such a towering marvel," he murmurs to himself as he surveys the Colosseum, "and how cruel to fill it with barbarism." True to his own high ideals, Paolo stands his ground against a cat, leads a pack of dogs, saves six nuns from certain death, and is nearly canonized by the Pope ("the cardinal shook his head") before giving up his cosseted existence at the Vatican and striking out into the city again. Keane (Why?) draws with a brash, bold line, capturing the contours of Rome's domes and bridges, and the flourish of Paolo's long tongue with equal grace. Barnett (Just Because) writes with the panache of Cyrano ("Truly," pronounces Paolo, "I am living my life") in this bighearted tale that champions honor for honor's sake. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1--Life as a house pet bores Paolo, who knows he's destined for greatness, so the diminutive dachshund escapes to make his mark on Rome. There, he finds the Colosseum, the opera, temples, statues--and danger. Perils that would send lesser dogs scurrying don't faze Paolo, who stares down a cranky tabby and takes command over a pack of snarling curs. After diving into the Trevi Fountain to rescue six nuns from drowning, he becomes a hero. In thanks, the pope installs him in a lavish apartment, but Paolo's wild spirit can't be tamed, and soon he's off on more adventures. Keane constructs an elegant cityscape, her playful, thick linework adding whimsy, while Barnett narrates with poetic flair and a hilariously epic flavor ("I am Paolo, that escaped from his prison and is like the wolf come to life"). VERDICT In a single day, Paolo wins over the dogs of Rome, its people, and the pope; he'll just as easily endear himself to readers.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Bighearted tale that champions honor for honor's sake."— "Publishers Weekly"
Mac Barnett
Mac Barnett is the author of several books for children, including Caldecott Honor Books Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, both illustrated by Jon Klassen; President Taft Is Stuck in the Bath, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen; Leo: A Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson; and the Terrible Two series, cowritten with Jory John and illustrated by Kevin Cornell. Mac Barnett lives in California.

Isabelle Arsenault is the creator of Alpha and the illustrator of several other picture books, including Jane, the Fox, and Me by Fanny Britt, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year; Captain Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle; and Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novesky. Isabelle Arsenault lives in Montreal.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781419741098
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date
March 31, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002070 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dogs
JUV030050 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Europe
Library of Congress categories
Dogs
Courage
Adventure and adventurers
Adventure stories
Italy
Rome (Italy)
Dachshunds

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