Aliki’s.. picture book follows Marianthe, a Greek girl who doesn't understand English, as she starts school in the United States. In Part I, “Painted Words,” Marianthe is frustrated about being unable to communicate with her peers. Her teacher encourages her to paint her words, and little by little she finds ways to share her story with her classmates. In Part II, “Spoken Memories,” Marianthe tells her class about her life in Greece, how her Papa left for a better job in America, and how she and her family eventually came to join him

Cover title: Marianthe's story: painted words, spoken memories. Two stories in one book.