| The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily | |
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| Author | Dino Buzzati |
| Original title | La famosa invasione degli orsi in Sicilia |
| Translator | Frances Lobb |
| Illustrator | Dino Buzzati |
| Cover artist | Dino Buzzati |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian (also in English translation) |
| Genre(s) | Children’s fiction |
| Publisher | Rizzoli, Milano |
| Publication date | 1945 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-06-072608-3 (2005 edition in English) |
| OCLC Number | 55634012 |
| LC Classification | PZ8.B965 Be 2005 |
La famosa invasione degli orsi in Sicilia is an Italian children’s book written and illustrated by Dino Buzzati which was translated into English by Frances Lobb as The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily.
The American hardcover edition was published by HarperCollins in 2003 and the paperback was published in 2005, also by HarperCollins and The New York Review Children's Collection. The paperback version has an Introduction and Reader's Companion by well-known author of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket.
Synopsis
The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily is the story of a group of bears living in the mountains on the island of Sicily. One year, a harsh winter descends upon them, eliminating the majority of their food sources. Driven by hunger, the bears descend the mountain to aviod starvation. The bear king, Leander, also has a personal motive for going: years ago, humans kidnapped his son Tony, and he is determined to get him back.
Upon being seen, the Grand Duke of Sicily starts a military campaign against the bears. Their valour is no match against the humans' technology, but when the bears proceed against the capital city, the bear Marzipan builds ladders, catapults and a cannon. The bears are victorious.
King Leander's son, Tony, is found performing in the capital's theater, and is happily reunited with his father. King Leander now rules over Sicily, with bears and humans peacefully coexisting in the city. However, to King Leander's dislike, his bears lose their innocence and adopt human habits.
The situation deteriorates when the King's Chanberlain, bear Salpetre establishes a gambling den, robs the treasury, and organizes orgies. His final grab to take power by killing the king is, however, prevented by bear Dandilion. On his death-bed, King Leander orders his bears to denounce all human ways, and return to into the mountains to their former life. They are to leave the riches behind, to find again peace of mind.
Book Format
The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily is written in novel format, with a great deal of poetry and illustrations as well. In the English version, Lemony Snicket has written a Reader's Companion that sums up each chapter, provides some interesting questions for the reader to think about, and an interesting activity to go along with each chapter.
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