HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ASTONISHED?
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LEFT SPEECHLESS BY ANYTHING?!
Astonished And speechless Are twin brothers . when they were born, they didn ’t cry. they just shouted, perpleXed:
they were living in “the mArvelous city” in A stunning yellow house, Atop A hill full of breAthtAKing trees!
It was astounding and remarkable: in 2007, over 100 million people around the globe cast their votes via cell phone and email to decide which, in their opinion, were the most incredible constructions in the world.
The New Seven Wonders of the World is a project by the Swiss organization New Open World Corporation (NOWC), which had the idea to conduct this election and to gain insight into the views of people of all ages on the most remarkable aspects of our historical and cultural heritage. More than 200 places were registered by the voters and the seven finalists were chosen based on criteria such as beauty, complexity, historical value, cultural and architectural relevance.
This book was written as a tribute to these amazing structures, but also to invite readers of all ages to contemplate the question: if a new election were conducted today, which other places would be selected? And, why stop at just seven?! People from all around the globe and throughout history have created amazing and incredible constructions! Here’s the challenge: how about researching other wonders of the world and choosing your favorite?
The inspiration for writing this story doesn’t stop there. Humanity is truly incredible and capable of astounding feats, and this book pays homage to us and to one of our most remarkable inventions: language. Did you catch the wordplay in the text? It is astonishing and admirable how we have words to name our emotions when faced with something that leaves us in awe. You must have been amazed, fascinated and perhaps even astonished and speechless – wouldn’t you agree?
If you enjoyed reading this book, you’ll also find pleasure in tackling the challenges presented here. You will be amazed at how much you can enjoy and learn from reading an extraordinary book such as this…
1. You can research and learn more about the New Seven Wonders of the World. Check out what they are and in which country they can be found:
• chichen itZá, in chichen itZá (m eXico)
• colosseum, in rome (itAly)
• christ the redeemer, in rio de jAneiro ( brAZil)
• g reAt wAll of chinA (chinA)
• mAchu picchu, in cuZco (peru)
• petrA, in mA’An (jordAn)
• tAj mAhAl, in AgrA (i ndiA)
2. You can also explore other wonders of Brazil and the world, including those related to our natural heritage. These are places where nature is awe-inspiring and should be preserved because of its exuberance!
3. Have you noticed the odd words used in this book? They all mean extraordinary, magnificent, spectacular... Adjectives that we use to describe things that are truly amazing. How about rereading the book and searching for those words? Using them in your daily life will be magnificent!
4. When something extraordinary happens, we often feel special, astonished… Look, the text also has words to express these emotions, such as when we feel amazed. Which ones can you find?
5. And what would be the opposite of all this? How about looking up the antonyms of these words that describe incredible things and the feeling of amazement? The more we understand words, the more we understand ourselves, the others, and the world!
I’m CAROLINE FIGUEIRA and, in addition to being a writer, I’m also a teacher and the mother of Alice. I take pleasure in observing what children observe, for they are captivated by remarkable things that adults fail to recognize. I’m awestruck by the vibrant autumn sky, ants carrying tiny leaves, and the aroma of hot food wafting through the air.
The inspiration for this book came to me one day I suddenly noticed the bright moon in the sky. Did you know that the moon appears in the same phase no matter where in the world you are? If it’s seen in the waning phase in Brazil, it’ll also be in Australia. It’s fabulous! Oh, I’ve been to Christ the Redeemer. I was up there, gazing at the colossal monument, and watched the clouds drift right before me. It was fantastic! All these magnificent things inspired the writing of this story, which is also a tribute to our historical and cultural heritage.
I’m IZABELLA CORDEIRO, but call me Iza. I’m an illustrator and live in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro. Here, it is very common to find a variety of animals roaming the streets: spotted cows, brown cows, white cows... They often disrupt traffic in order to march down the roads, but many people are left astonished of their presence! My favorite pastime is taking care of my plants, each one more beautiful than the other. Some have polka dots, others boast grandiose color combinations, and it was all these magnificent things that inspired me to create the vibrant and entertaining illustrations in this marvelous book.
WHEN TWO VERY CURIOUS BOYS EMBARK ON A JOURNEY TO FIND THE MOST WONDROUS THINGS IN THE WORLD, THEY ARE LEFT ASTONISHED AND SPEECHLESS BY THE STUNNING DISCOVERIES THEY MAKE. JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY THAT PAYS TRIBUTE TO OUR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND MAKES OUR PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR!