Reading Tips: Italian Children's & YA Comics

What Italian comic books can you read or buy for (your) children and adolescents?  

Below is a list of books I borrowed at public children's libraries in Rome with a small summary to motivate you to read them.

Cover image: Grazia La Padula

Fai rumore

Fai rumore. Nove storie per osare, Il castoro, 2022. 

This book offers nine stories about gender violence, imbalance and manipulation, by Italian comics artists. It was made in collaboration with the collective Moleste. It teaches us as readers that "no one can do it for you, but you don't have to do it alone", while treating us to a plethora of exciting graphic styles.

Anna Cercignano's Un viso da bambino is a moving tale on sexual abuse where a person takes advantage of a girl's infatuation. Cercignano's wonderful and detailed pencil drawings heighten the effect on the reader.

Eleonora Antonioni's Sabrina symbolises how power relations in sports context often lead to (attempts of) abuse. Girls decide to stop doing the sports they like, because they refuse to be victims.

Maurizia Rubino's Scrivimi quando arrivi will be recognizable to all: you go out for dinner at a friend's house, the friend shouts at the doorsteps "write to me when you get home" and you hurry home. The tension or fear is real even if 'nothing really happens'.

Francesca Torre and La Tram show in Due di Una, in a Jekyll-and-Hyde tale  how choosing to leave a toxic relationship - and don't we all know examples of those - can break or help rebuild a person. (Watch the video to the left to hear the artists talk about the volume and their piece)

Lucia Biagi's story La cosa giusta summarizes the importance of honesty and shows that "doing the right thing" is easier when you stand up for each other and face the consequences together.

With La felpa gialla, Vega Guerrieri and Caterina Ferrante tell about the social stigma and prejudices based on supposedly overweight individuals. The story also shows how social media amplifies the effect of peer or social pressure. Since I experienced "fatshaming" myself as a girl, this story really hit a nerve.

Laura Guglielmo describes in Con cura how, in the midst of gaming, a girl addresses the self-harm of her friend. The story discusses the difficult confrontation of sensitive issues, mental health, and the ways in which friendship can help remediate such issues. 

The book also includes the perspective of boys under pressure. Davide Costa and Elisa2B touch upon the issue of mustering the courage to ask someone out, while showing that the same courage is needed to refuse or reject that very offer. 

Carmen Guasco, Marta Macolino, Alessia De Sio's hopeful tale Ascoltami deals with sexual abuse too, and demonstrates how young people can stand up for each other.

More info: https://editriceilcastoro.it/libri/fai-rumore/

Diana Sottosopra

Editor Canicola Edizioni has a series of children's comics, titled "Collana Dino Buzzati" (editors: Edo Chieregato & Liliana Cupido). The series is not a stand-alone activity as the editors also try to organise pedagogical activities on comics for children. 

The series presents young comic artists to children. In 2017 they published: Sophia Martineck's Hansel e Gretel, Martoz's La mela mascherata, I gioielli di Elsa by Sarah Mazzetti. In 2018 followed Io sono mare by Cristina Portolano and in 2019 Muhova was published alongside Mario Neri's Nuno salva la luna.

This book is of particular interest to me, as a scholar on girlhood and comics, as it was born out of the editor's prject "Dalla parte delle bambine" [On the Girls' Side].

Kalina Muhova was born in 1993 in Sofia in Bulgaria. She lives in Bologna since 2013 and studied at the Academy of Fine Arts there. In 2018 she was selected for the international exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Visit her website here.

What is the book about?

Protagonist Diana, discovers that the flora surrounding her grandparents' house, is threatened to disappear by the clutter of human garbage. 

In the panel to the left, the reader is confronted with this environmental disaster from the point of view and level of the plant: "Look where the invasion has ended up this morning", yells the rose,"Oh no! I am a finished rose!"

I will let you discover what happens next...

Nice bonus for the reader: we learn about the ingredients of Palacinke, pancakes that are made all over the Balkan: https://foreignfork.com/palachinki/ 

Io sono Mare

Io sono Mare, Canicola edizioni, 2018. 

Cristina Portolano (1986, Napoli) 's oeuvre is impressive. She does a lot of illustration work for all generations, teaches at the IAAD in Bologna, makes murals, is the author of 3 books, has collaborated with writers on 5 books, and has a chapter in the anthology Post Pink. She illustrates and creates comics for children the magazine Internazionale Kids.

For Canicola Edizioni's series Dino Buzzati, she first created an album/game Gioca con Mare in 2018, followed by the comic Io sono Mare. In the comic, she bends the boundaries between "girl" and "fish" as Mare and Franky go on an empowering underwater adventure. Mare knows that she will transform, as Franky does, but for now, resists the imposition of categories. It's a story about feeling and exploration, ... and about taking a bite.

La mela mascherata

La mela mascherata, Canicola edizioni, 2017.

Martoz (Assisi, 1990) is an eclectic artist, cartoonist, illustrator and street artist, active in the field of self-publishing. He lives in Milan, but his works have been exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Moscow. He has collaborated with magazines such as Linus, Illustratore Italiano, Crisma. In 2016, he was nominated "revelation author" at Treviso Comic Book Festival for his debut graphic novel, Remi Tot in Stunt (MalEdizioni). The year after, he won the "Nuove Strade" award at Napoli Comicon. 

This book in the Dino Buzzati series was awarded as "Best Children's and Youngsters' Book" at the Treviso Comic Book Festival in 2017. 

What is the book about?

In Cotignola county, a peculiar team of adventurers embarks on a quest for a special fruit that holds the key to a life-saving antidote. This extraordinary Quince is only accessible by scaling tall towers and racing on bicycles until the very last moment. The group includes masked cowboys riding cats, witches, paper gnomes, and a courageous girl who defies gender stereotypes with the determination of a bandit. Martoz's vivid imagination and playful details keep the story moving swiftly, reminiscent of classic children's comics.

More info: https://www.canicola.net/prodotto/la-mela-mascherata/ 

Holidays on Venus - #logosedizioni 

Albertine (Switzerland) illustrates Germano Zullo's story on the holiday of a man and his cat Georges. The Zullo's work together frequently. The entire oeuvre of Albertine and Germano Zullo is worth exploring, and is available in many languages. Their silent books, moreover, can be read by all.

What is the book about?

The man and his cat leave with their caravan for the beaches of Lavandou, only to end up on the planet Venus. The playful directions of their detour are mirrored by the turns the panels take. These offer food for thought and imagination. As does the discovery of their female twins on the planet Venus. 

Storiemigranti

Storiemigranti, Feltrinelli comics, 2019.

Nicola Bernardi is a photographer, Sio is one of the most well-known Italian comic artists on social media: his YouTube channel, Scottecs, has more than 1.5 million subscribers, his Facebook page has over 600,000 followers. Sio is the creator and author of Scottecs Megazine and several books collecting his comics. Together, Nicola and Sio cycled through Japan in 2014 for the project Uncommon:Wheels,- which became a book in 2016.

What is the book about?

Storiemigranti tells the stories of 32 people living in migration centres, in the province of Imperia. Nicola made photographic portraits, Sio drew two-page comics of the stories these people told them.

I selected two of the panels that really speak volumes about the injustice of migration, while maintaining hope for humanity.

More info: https://www.feltrinellieditore.it/opera/storiemigranti/ 

Vento di libertà 

Vento di libertà, Tunué, 2019.

Lelio Bonaccorso is a Sicilian comic artist, illustrator. He teaches at the Schools of Comics in Palermo and Messina (both in Sicily). His first graphic novel is Peppino Impastato, scripted by Marco Rizzo. 

What is the book about?

Vento di libertà tells the history of medieval Sicily (1266), more specifically Messina, under French, Angevine, regime. From the perspective of one family, the reader learns about unbearable tributes, hunger and injustice the Sicilian people faced.  The story is also a tale of impossible love, as the lives of Dina (Sicilian) and Jacques (French) intertwine. In 1282, popular discontent explodes and the Sicilians  proudly rebel against their oppressors all over the island. As the cover illustrates, Bonaccorso captures this battle for freedom by focusing on three brave women, Dina and her friend Clarenza, and the emblem of Sicily (the "trinacria" or three-legged woman).

More info: https://www.tunue.com/product/vento-di-liberta/

Stelle o sparo

Nova, Stelle o sparo, Bao Publishing, 2018.

Nova worked on the project TINALS (This Is Not A Love Song) and has a chapter in the volume Materia Degenere 2 by publisher Diabolo Edizioni. This book is her debut as a single author/artist, it is a captivating tale rich in diversity and depth, revealing a unique and invaluable perspective on adolescence and early adulthood.

What is the book about?

In predominantly black, white and grey colours, Nova tells the tale of Stella and Ed, who become close friends, and share an unbreakable bond. Stella is grappling with her inner demons, and her paranoia. Ed, concerned for her well-being, decides it is time for a change and compels her to embark on a journey. Their path leads them to a secluded Greek island, far removed from modern tourism. Together, they uncover a world of unique inhabitants and embark on adventures, exploring and absorbing the island's hidden treasures to uncover their own personalities.

Stella finds herself drawn to Cosmo, a traumatised orphan and to his pain, recognizing its significance. She soon realises that by empathising with the suffering of others, she can better understand her own emotions.

The journey of these two girls is one that brings some kind of relief from adolescent issues: "People often embark on journeys to discover their true selves in the most unconventional destinations. Take, for instance, India, Tibet, or other vast places. In my perspective, if you look for yourself in a small place,... you might actually find yourself."

More info: https://baopublishing.it/prodotti/stelle-o-sparo/ 

Il calore della neve, Tunué, 2018.

Tunué's series Tipitondi caters to readers 9+. Christian Galli is an artist you will love if you like pencil drawings. Galli graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. He was published by Internazionale magazine. This is his first graphic novel, and it is as heartwarming as the oxymoron in the title. Tunué also published his another graphic novel, Menta, in 2022.

Il calore della neve

What is the book about?

In an isolated Norwegian town, four young boys set out on a secret mission: to find Simen's older brother who ran away from home days ago. To find him, they will have to cross a mystical Norwegian forest, snowy landscapes, brave an icy lake and survive a blizzard amidst small quarrels, first loves and flashbacks of past events.

More info: https://www.tunue.com/product-author/christian-galli/ 

Neri e Scheggia in Galleria

Neri & Scheggia, Coconino Press, 20

Tuono Pettinato is a legend in Italian comics and a brilliant artist. Unfortunately, he passed away some years ago. Neri & Scheggia in the Galleria is the comic strip story that he has set in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence. You will like this if you feel like a humorous perspective on a 'serious' place and if you want to draw yourself (see pictures below: draw your on comic). Playful and funny!

What is the book about?

On a day when there's an art assignment at school, young Neri, a third-grade pupil, decides to skip and explore the city of Florence. While wandering, he unexpectedly finds himself in a museum. His eyes light up at the Accademia Gallery, which is teeming with peculiar and amusing characters: there's Splinter, a whimsical guide, Michelangelo and Giambologna engaged in constant debate, and the charismatic David who carries himself like a pop star, eager to share countless stories. To Neri's surprise, the museum concludes with a delightful section dedicated entirely to musical instruments. 

Chatwin 

Gatto per forza, randagio per scelta

Chatwin, Rizzoli Lizard, 2019.

One of Tuono Pettinato's last works, this book is a delight for readers of all ages. It is funny, quirky, philosophical and simple in the best meaning of that word. Parents will like Pettinato's refined references to famous explorers: from British writer and traveller Bruce Chatwin, over Shackleton to Cousteau, from Columbus to Amundsen, from Livingstone even to Cristoforetti.

What is the book about?

Chatwin is a cat who has always lived in his masters' house until, while reading some books found in the householder's study (yes, Chatwin is literate), he has an epiphany: the world is vast and mysterious, all waiting to be discovered, and the nature of his species is to explore it. So he decides to escape to follow this epiphany, a choice that soon brings him face to face with the difficulties and dangers outside his comfortable home. Chatwin discovers the need for a destination after exchanging the known for the uncertain. He must believe that he has done so for a very specific reason, a destination that can give a truer, deeper meaning to his life. 

More info: https://www.rizzolilibri.it/libri/chatwin/