Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca: an Italian book for beginners (A1)
Vamba · adapted by Alessio Insegnante · CEFR level A1
Vamba's classic (1912), rewritten for learners of Italian at level A1: calibrated sentences, footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions in every chapter.
Ebook free with Kindle Unlimited · $4.99 · also in 6×9 paperback
The plot of Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca
Giannino Stoppani, known to everyone as Gian Burrasca, is nine years old and has a natural talent for disaster. In his diary he records every prank, every escape and every punishment: stolen fish, experiments gone wrong, hypocritical adults mercilessly exposed.
Sent to boarding school to be «straightened out», Giannino organises his most famous revolution, the one against the rice soup. A classic of Italian humour that makes children laugh — and adults even more.
Why read Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca to learn Italian
Laughing is the best engine for reading on: motivation never runs out here. Giannino's first-person diary is also a perfect model to imitate for writing your own diary in Italian, using everyday vocabulary.
Inside this reader
CEFR adaptation
The text is fully rewritten for level A1, with controlled vocabulary and syntax, while staying faithful to the original plot.
Footnotes and glossary
Footnotes on difficult words and a final glossary, so you can read independently without a dictionary.
Comprehension questions
Every chapter ends with questions to check understanding, just like in class.
Paperback and ebook
6×9 paperback on cream paper, or Kindle ebook. The same text also lives in the ti app.
Language focus: what you practise
In this level-A1 edition you mainly practise the present tense, the passato prossimo, basic articles and prepositions, short coordinated sentences. The vocabulary revolves around daily life, pranks and school: the key words, with translations, are in the glossary below and recur throughout the text, so you learn them in context.
Essential glossary (Italian · English · Dutch)
| Italian | English | Dutch |
|---|---|---|
| lo scherzo | prank | de streek |
| il collegio | boarding school | het internaat |
| la punizione | punishment | de straf |
| la fuga | escape | de ontsnapping |
| la minestra | soup | de soep |
| il guaio | trouble | de problemen |
| i grandi | grown-ups | de volwassenen |
| la marachella | mischief | het kattenkwaad |
About the author: Vamba
Vamba, pen name of Luigi Bertelli (1858–1920), was a journalist and founder of the «Giornalino della Domenica», a magazine that revolutionised children's literature in Italy. Gian Burrasca is his immortal creation.
Details and difficulty level
A1 is the first step of the CEFR: short sentences, present and passato prossimo, high-frequency vocabulary. This reader suits anyone who has just started learning Italian or has completed a first beginner course. Format: 6×9 paperback on cream paper or Kindle ebook; 10 chapters with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions. All level A1 books →
Frequently asked questions
What level of Italian do I need to read Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca?
This edition of Il giornalino di Gian Burrasca is rewritten for CEFR level A1. A1 is the first step of the CEFR: short sentences, present and passato prossimo, high-frequency vocabulary. This reader suits anyone who has just started learning Italian or has completed a first beginner course.
Is this Vamba's original text?
No, it is an adaptation: the plot and spirit of Vamba's original remain, but vocabulary and syntax are rewritten for level A1, with footnotes, a final glossary and comprehension questions at the end of every chapter.
Which formats is it available in?
Paperback (6×9, cream paper) and Kindle ebook on Amazon. The ebook is free to read with Kindle Unlimited. The same text also lives in the ti app, with vocabulary translated into 14 languages.
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