Last year, I wrote an Italian practice book called Un’estate al lago, and it was a lot of fun! Most importantly, many students have used it and found it a great way to practice Italian in an easy and relaxed way. This is why I wrote a new practice book for you to work on your Italian over the summer (or whenever you want).
Un’estate al lago, the book I wrote last year, tells the story of Sabrina, a 17-year-old girl who goes on holiday with her parents to Lake Garda. She brings her diary with her and writes down all her adventures there. The summer at Lake Garda is a chance for her to meet new friends, have fun, and fall in love for the first time.
Sabrina is back this year with a new diary and a brand new adventure that takes her to a different part of Italy. As a matter of fact, after many years, her parents have decided to change their holiday destination and want to go to Sardinia. Sabrina is shocked because she wants to return to Lake Garda and see her friends again, but has no option: it’s time for a seaside holiday!
In Andiamo al mare!, the Italian practice book I wrote this year, Sabrina goes with her parents to Alghero, a lovely beach town in the north of Sardinia, an enchanting Italian island in the middle of the Mediterranean. There she spends a lot of time alone but has many adventures – and some surprises too!
This holiday is an opportunity for self-discovery for Sabrina,
while for you it is a chance to practice Italian
in a fun and easy way!
Like I did for Un’estate al lago, the book is divided into 9 chapters. Each chapter contains a diary entry by Sabrina and a series of exercises on comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and writing, with almost 90 pages of Italian practice. To help you practice listening, I have also recorded the audio files of each chapter. Each chapter has a section on Italian pop culture, and the book includes additional chapters about Sardinia and other Italian locations.
The book has been designed for intermediate learners, and it is intended as a way to practice Italian in a fun and relaxed way, which means that each activity won’t be too heavy on the grammar side and will be focused on a lot of slang, idioms, and other cool stuff. Since music is vital both for Sabrina and for me, there is even a dedicated playlist featuring cool Italian 90s music.
Even though the book has been designed to offer a nice and chilled way to practice Italian, it has been crafted keeping in mind that it is primarily a language-learning book, so it features activities to work on different language skills. You will have fun but also practice grammar, comprehension, reading, and listening, making the book an effective way to practice Italian without too much stress.
This is why Andiamo al mare! is a perfect practice book
to keep working on your Italian over the summer.
But let me recap very quickly.
What it is
It is an Italian practice book designed for you to study Italian over the summer. It is a YA book that tells the story of Sabrina, a young girl who goes on holiday with her parents and writes about her daily life in her diary. Last year she went to Lake Garda, and this summer she is visiting Sardinia, where she will have many new adventures.
The book is divided into 9 chapters, and each chapter contains a diary entry by Sabrina, exercises on comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and creative writing, for almost 90 pages of Italian practice! Each chapter has a section on Italian pop culture. Also, there are additional chapters on Sardinia and other locations in Italy. The package includes audio files of each chapter and a breezy 1996 summer playlist.
(You’ll get your PDF and the audio files in your purchase receipt email message)
It is for you if
- Your level of Italian is B1/B2 (intermediate)
- You want something fun to practice Italian over the summer
- You want to learn more about Italian slang and idioms
- You like YA books and teenage stories
It is not for you if
- You are an absolute beginner in Italian
- You are looking for a structured exercise book with grammar lessons
- You do not like YA books at all!
What you get if you buy the book
- A fun teenage story set in Italy
- Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and creative writing exercises (with keys)
- A PDF file with 90 pages of Italian practice and fun
- Some information about Sardinia
- Sections about Italian culture, slang, and idioms
- Audio files of all 9 chapters
- A special summer playlist
- If you read Un’estate al lago, you’ll find out if Sabrina gets to meet Mark again or not!
(You’ll receive your PDF and the audio files in your purchase receipt email message)