Papa Piccolo

The lion is the emblem of Venice, but the common cat rules its narrow streets and alleyways. A prince among these feline rulers is Piccolo, and what a fine life he leads! Especially after dark- when the streets are full of possibilities!

Then one night, Piccolo makes a discovery that threatens his carefree life and his independence and starts him on a new and special kind of adventure.

In these pages, you will also meet Caesar- Piccolo's older and somewhat cynical friend, and Sophia- the shoe shop cat, to whom Piccolo turns for advice when his life takes its unexpected turn. And you will meet two irresistible kittens- one spotted and one striped- who need a home and who help Piccolo discover his own tender heart.

Illustrator Itoko Maeno, who first visited Venice in 1977, returned to that city- which many call the most beautiful in the world- to capture its watery magic for this story. Her enchanting renderings for the canals, markets, crooked byways, boats, and bridges of Venice and her wise and witty portraits of its two- and four-legged citizens will delight children and adults alike.

At a time when we are recognizing the need for boys as well as girls to develop nurturing skills, Piccolo appears as a welcome model for all children.