JUST 99cents on Kindle for a limited time only.
What a wonderful and whimsical story! I fell in love with Piccolo, the Italian Greyhound who is the heart of this book. His adventures making art in the city of New are creative and full of unexpected twists. It sparked my imagination as I read, bringing me into the story. I look forward to reading this story to my grand children some day. – Amazon Review
Have you ever loved a dog, a work of art or any part of Venice past, present or yet to be discovered?
Call me Piccolo. So begins the tale of a young artist who just happens to be an Italian greyhound. Setting off on his first artworld adventure, Piccolo leaves his native Venice to solve the mystery of his father’s disappearance in the City of York they call New. Eager to make art, he is soon thrown off his father’s trail when a great American sculptor offers him a space in his Brooklyn studio. Duped by his own desire, Piccolo labors for neither fame nor fortune–until his baptism by the fire of a hot chili pepper ignites his career. But only after his return to Venice, will Piccolo meet the spirits of that haunt the Grand Canal and make the greatest discovery in art of all time.
Editorial Reviews:
“An appealing dog story, celebrating artistic pursuits… with a clear sense of whimsy, as canine characters enjoyably lap up wine, sing Frank Sinatra tunes, and yearn for romance. Along the way, the author also effectively skewers the modern-day art world—particularly its use of interns. Ultimately, this book is most effective as a joyful appreciation of Venice and great art.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The writing is smart, sly and very effective, and I found myself laughing out loud at the sheer verve and nerve of the narrative and the voice. In a sea of standard mysteries and genre books, this one clearly stands out.” Writer’s Digest Competition Review
“Skillfully the author weaves in artworld enticements and disappointments with such twists of humor and layers of insight that readers get a chance to feel what it might be like to crave success in that mad race to be part of the NYC art scene.” Randee Silv, editor–Arteidolia
Amazon Verified Reader Reviews:
“….The tone of the book charms from the get-go. The whimsical storyline takes you from Venice to Brooklyn and back on the tale of a canine character named Piccolo who’s a chainsaw-wielding sculptor (it runs in his family). It’s hilarious… “ Catherine A. Oden 2023
“I absolutely loved the first-person narrative through the voice of our canine protagonist and could not put the book down, reading it well into the night! It touched on themes important to many of us: family, love, and belonging.” Ava Richardson 2023
“What a creative and wonderful story of an Italian greyhound named Piccolo Fortunato, who begins his life in Venice, travels to America on a grand adventure in search of his father, and returns to his home again, having learned much of the world and himself. Piccolo hails from a line of distinguished Italian greys, and he has much to live up to. As he embarks on his journey, he experiences hilarious encounters (such as discovering hot dogs). As Piccolo loves art, readers are also introduced to artwork in Venice and New York. The story is humorous, heartwarming, and heartbreaking at moments, and overall, highly entertaining. As the dog mom of two Italian greyhounds, I was really excited to read this and was not disappointed. I was immediately drawn to Piccolo, his feisty determination (true to Italian greyhounds in general), and all the interesting characters we meet along the way.” Megan Lee 2023
About the Authors
E. Merwin is an author of fantasy, fables and verifiable ghost stories, winning1st prize in the Next Generation Book Award for regional fiction and Writer’s Digest Awards for drama and non-fiction As of 2023, Nightmarish New York is the most recent of ten spooky titles written for Bearport Publishing and its popular series for young readers with Dark Underground voted as a top read by a nationwide jury of young readers for the Children’s Book Council.
~~~
Veronica Arrigoni is an artist and educator, specialized in children illustrations.
She has a passion for turtles and at the moment she shares the house with four of them and a twenty years old fish.
In the past few years she has become more and more aware of the needs of Trachemys turtles that are bought by people who do not understand that these are very demanding pets. This realization has led her to start writing books on this subject, combining her interest and knowledge of turtles with her skills and abilities to draw.
She is also planning on making more children books on other pets and animals in the future.
Leave a Reply