Rome Romp! is a children's picture book written by Margie Blumberg and illustrated by Renée Andriani. Grandma Goldie is planning on showing her grandson Danny all the sights of Rome, and they're beginning their day with drinks and biscotti. Everything is going according to plan until Danny's puppy, Cappuccino, decides to chase after the birds in the piazza. Danny's upset, but Grandma Goldie knows they'll be able to track down the errant pup. He takes them on a merry chase, down grand flights of steps and past a fountain where Cappuccino takes a fast dip before continuing on with his adventure. Along the way, Grandma Goldie and Danny get to explore beautiful artwork, have a spaghetti lunch, and sight-see the Coliseum and other Roman antiquities.

Margie Blumberg's children's picture book, Rome Romp!, follows the two intrepid tourists as they race through Rome in search of Cappuccino, Danny's puppy. Renée Andriani's illustrations are a marvelous accompaniment to the verses that make up this adventure travel story. I especially appreciated the glossary and pronunciation guide of Italian words and phrases that precedes the story, and was impressed with how naturally those words and phrases were incorporated into the story. Rome Romp! is sure to fire up the imaginations of young readers as they follow the chase through Rome and see all the sights this historic city has to offer. This book's action-packed travel adventure will liven up story time, but it's also a grand selection for young readers. Rome Romp! is highly recommended.

Rome Romp! Travel Adventures with Grandma Goldie (Book 2) by Margie Blumberg is a colourful pop-up book for toddlers and beginner readers. Ms Blumberg’s aim is to educate children in a memorable way that they will see as fun. It is set in Rome and includes a very wide selection of the most important sights in the city, with a few illustrations of the interiors in addition to sketches of the outside, all brightly executed by Renée Andriani. Also included are stops to buy ice-cream and a visit to a typical café for a lunch based on spaghetti. Grandson Danny’s runaway puppy, Cappuccino, ties the story together from the morning until Grandma Goldie puts them both to bed, providing a comforting ending if the book is read at bedtime.

Margie Blumberg’s Rome Romp! Travel Adventures with Grandma Goldie (Book 2) is beautifully illustrated, mostly written in appealing rhyme, and made me chuckle. I would love to read it to a toddler, or a young child still interested in pop-up books. I do know Rome well, but I would advise any adult who hasn’t visited this fabulous city to familiarise themselves with the main tourist attractions before they start or they may run into questions they can’t answer. I don’t speak Italian so, although I was familiar with many of the words and phrases, I did need to go back to the list Ms Blumberg provided. Do your “homework” before you give this book to your child and it will be a winner - amusing and educational.

Romp Romp is a super cute book that is sure to inspire a love for travel into the youngest of readers! Margie Blumberg does an excellent job of creating a fun, adventurous, enjoyable read for little ones. Utilizing Italian phrases, it's a fully immersive story about a trip to Rome for one lucky kid and his grandmama!

The writing was solid, easily switching between Italian and English in a way that readers of both languages would be able to pick up. I was also impressed that the story managed to rhyme and have a lyrical sort of flow while still using two different languages! Illustrations were adorable and fun, showing realistic people and cute animals on the trip to Rome, as well as classical architecture, beautiful representations of art, and the sights and sounds of one amazing trip to Rome!

I especially liked that the main characters were a grandma and grandchild. That relationship isn't explored as much as it should be in children's books and I love that this book celebrates the fun of spending time with grandparents. Even though Romp Romp is a children's book, it helps convey the idea that grandparents are exciting and interesting people who have a lot of life under their belt and can share those fun experiences with their young family members. I would definitely buy a copy of this book for my new niece so she can start to build a love for travel and adventure early in life!