Catherine Fet Ordine dei libri (cronologico)

This book teaches Latin in a vibrant, engaging way, filled with colorful illustrations, humor, and quirky characters. It's designed for kids but is also perfect for college students intimidated by Latin. Forget tedious conjugation charts and dull dialogues featuring Roman farmers; instead, enjoy scenarios with a lazy Roman school kid, a mischievous teacher, a unicorn, and barbarians. Stress is marked in multi-syllable words, making pronunciation easier. For curious adults, this book serves as a gentle introduction to Latin, beneficial for understanding English vocabulary—up to 90% of multi-syllable English words derive from Latin. Basic Latin knowledge also simplifies learning Romance languages like French and Spanish. The book includes playful spoken Latin for kids to enjoy, but the focus is on recognizing and using Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes in English, as well as understanding Latin terms in law, medicine, and science. Grammatical concepts are presented with illustrations and exercises, covering noun cases, verb conjugations, and commonly used irregular verbs. Vocabulary development includes modern English words related to Latin terms, along with Latin expressions for memorization. Practice sections feature translations and engaging texts, including famous mottos, sayings, and excerpts from the Latin Mass.

This book closely follows the gospel stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, from the Annunciation through Pentecost. It aims to introduce young readers to these narratives while fostering an appreciation for art inspired by them. Understanding Christian art is essential to grasping the cultural history of Europe and the Western world, making it relevant for families of all backgrounds. Each mini-chapter features two main components: 1. **Event Narration**: Each story is narrated using direct quotes from accessible gospel translations, summarizing events to maintain brevity. The narration is designed to be neutral, avoiding any theological or denominational bias. 2. **Illustrations and Art Commentary**: Each event is paired with one or two paintings from significant European artists spanning the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The Art Commentary section guides young readers to recognize stylistic features, identify Christian symbolism, and understand the emotions portrayed. It also provides insights into art history, helping readers distinguish between various styles like Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and more. Aimed at ages 9 and up, the book includes definitions for any theological or art-related terms, ensuring clarity and comprehension for young readers.