Incontri in Sicilia : Learn Italian Through a Story Set in Sicily (A2–B1 CEFR)

by Serena Capilli

Bite-Sized Chapters: Dive into each chapter in minutes. The vocabulary and grammar used are optimized for beginners and intermediate Italian learners.

Bilingual Wordlist: Learn some of the most common Italian words and verbs, ready to add to your flashcards.

Insights on Common Mistakes: Written with the most recurring mistakes Italian beginners and intermediate learners make in my classes in mind.

Speaking Prompts: Enhance your spoken Italian skills, whether alone or with your tutor.

Cultural Insights About Sicily: Gain insights into some of the most picturesque villages in Sicily and get ready for your next trip to Italy.

Realistic Adult Stories: Learn real-life dialogues and experiences that you'll encounter as traveler in Italy.


The Plot

Fiona is a young American who is traveling to Sicily to obtain her dual citizenship through her great-grandparents. While visiting the small picturesque village of Montalbano Elicona, where her ancestors came from, she makes new friends...and more.


This short novel in Italian has been designed and optimized by a teacher of Italian with over 10 years of teaching experience, specializing in teaching adult Italian language learners.

Genres: Italian Literature

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2022

About the author

Serena Capilli is an Italian author and certified language teacher (University of Venice) who has been helping adults learn Italian through comprehensible input since 2016. She writes fiction (garden readers) in simple Italian — and increasingly in Spanish and French — built around comprehensible input, so learners absorb the language naturally through engaging stories instead of grammar drills.
A polyglot who speaks seven languages, Serena is the creator of the Paguro Method and publishes under the Paguro Languages imprint, with more than a dozen titles and over 30,000 copies sold worldwide. Her books range from cozy mysteries to travel-set tales across Italy — Rome, Sicily, Venice, Bologna, and beyond — written for beginner to intermediate readers (A1–B1).
Based in Rome with Sicilian roots, she also hosts the Piazzetta Italiana slow-Italian podcast and runs Italian Pills, a brand and newsletter for English-speaking learners. Find her books and free resources at italianpills.com.

Reviews

[carol whittam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light-hearted, easy to read…I was delighted to say. Took me on a mini holiday plus heritage wise, concerning some people’s ancestry, it rang true. I haven’t yet listened to the audio but I shall…as when I started it, I never noticed that facility. Chapters are a perfect length for episodic reading between gardening tasks. I don’t speak Italian but am surprised how easy it seems to be to learn to read as recognition is much easier. (Admittedly I like language so I am not starting from scratch.) This format of book with repetition and questions is very useful and gives self-confidence. I could understand and answer all the comprehension questions…but only in English. Verb forms etc will need some formal learning but I am not really concerned. I also listen to Italian songs now and read the translations. I think this style of learning is a good taking off point. I must say that the problem I had learning to speak Italian is that a few years ago I did start to read Spanish and still do but, unless I become serious, I keep mixing some of the words up…but not with reading. Yes, this is a good series. I am going to read the one set in Florence next because I am going next Spring.

[Carolina Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muito bom e completo para quem está a aprender ✨🇮🇹 La storia è carina e mi piace molto

[Joelyn Olen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is best matched to lower intermediate than intermediate. The vocabulary instruction is good, as are the questions at the end of each chapter. I would recommend it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to Sicily soon, so I'm delving back into Italian language learning, beginning with re-reading this book and listening to the audio. Andiamo!

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When I started this book, I was in the midst of pursuing Italian citizenship by descent (like the protagonist of this story, who travels to Sicily to retrieve her grandfather's birth certificate to complete her application - that's why I chose it). Halfway through my reading, however, the Italian government suddenly announced that it was severely tightening its requirements for citizenship, and I no longer qualified through my Sicilian family members.

My disappointment and bitterness were great, and I lost my zest for learning the language. The book sat on my desk gathering dust for some time. When I finally roused myself and went back to the book, I realized I...could understand it, with no help from the dictionary. I'm not sure what alchemy took place during that time, but as an insatiable consumer of language, I am once again excited about learning Italian, a language I genuinely adore. But still bitter. Still annoyed that I didn't think to pursue EU citizenship until Trump's second term (i.e. WAY too late).

Oh, but as for the book, it's really good. It's lovely. It's a wonderful way to learn a language.