The Orphan Singer by Emily Arnold McCully

I love historical fiction! Did you that in Venice there was an ospedalo, or orphanage, where people would drop off their infant daughters? These girls were well-trained under the tutelage of such Maestros as Vivaldi! This delightful story tells of an imaginary daughter, Nina, who has the voice of angel. Her parents are to poor to have her trained, so what do they decide to do? Give her to the orphanage so that she will have the opportunity to develop her voice? Find out, and learn if she ultimately learns about her family's love for her.

We discovered this book at the library and read it during a tea party. Beautiful watercolor and tempera paintings. If you have read Mirette on the Highwire, you already appreciate this author's delightful storytelling style.