Alice anxiously awaits the birthday present she believes will be a doll. But on her birthday, to her dismay, the present is not a doll. It is a book. Alice is disappointed, and her mother must console her. She tells Alice that the book will stay with her for life, telling her stories. Alice learns to appreciate the delightful experiences that evolve from the book. Even though Alice is reluctant to disclose the gift to her friends, eventually they find out, but they, too, discover its wonders. dgw

Originally published as Il mio Primo in Italian by Kite Ed izioni Italy, in 2004.