Author Description

Cica has a school project to write an essay on the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus. What she really would like to do is to follow the same route Columbus took in 1492.Her friends Mickey, Taggy and Puppo (and Taggy’s cousin Biggles from England) join her in Rome, Italy where she meets her cousins in the Colusseum. The friends are fascinated with Italy and decide to tour the country first before they follow the route of Columbus who was born in Genoa.The trip through Italy is wonderful. Accompanied by Nina, one of Cica’s cousins, they visit the Vatican and learn the history of the seven hills of Rome. In Naples, they come across a theft at the opera house. An important music score has disappeared. As M. T. P. C. & B. have solved many mysteries, they decide to try to solve this one as well.During the rest of their sightseeing, Cica is very occupied by the thought of the essay she must write for school. Every time she closes her eyes, Queen Isabella of Spain (who had sponsored Columbus’ voyage) appears to communicate to Cica, either by fax or cellular phone, Columbus’ progress.Then, on the train to Florence and Venice, a suspicious gentleman mimics an opera, but disappears before the friends can question him. After a wonderful day at the Lido, St. Mark’s Cathedral and the island of Murano, theycontinue on to Milan (with a stop in Verona). They take a sightseeing tour and attend an opera rehearsal at La Scala. Here they discover that the missing opera score is displayed at La Scala, brought there by a music lover who thought that the score really belonged there. The mysteryof the theft is solved.The final city on the friends’ itinerary is Genoa, where Columbus was born and went to school. As Cica has been informed by Queen Isabella that Columbus has reached theAmericas, she has a great idea. Why not take a ship to return to Canada? They do and sail the exact route Columbus followed on his voyage to the New World.