The 11th edition of the Storie Controvento children’s literature festival will begin tomorrow, Wednesday 24 April, and will end on Saturday 27 in Bellinzona. Some girls and boys from the Reading Against the Wind reading group present it.
Is reading against the wind?
– Reading against the wind for me means reading in a bizarre way and approaching any book. I happened to read books that I wouldn’t have chosen on my own.
– The group helps to discover new readings, daring to move away from the best known ones.
– Together we can learn to know new styles of writing, new perspectives, to read without borders, letting ourselves be carried away without following trends, to read freely.
When, where, how, why do you read?
– I read because I find it a wonderful way to escape and go on adventures that I otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to experience.
– I read almost everywhere, I read because it’s a way to free my mind and live an adventure without moving from my chair or sofa.
– I usually read in the evening, in my bed, and during holidays.
– I read where I can and when I can: my favorite place is my grandmother’s armchair in the mountains. Reading is my way of escaping from reality, daily stress or a bad day.
– Reading makes me feel free.
– I read to feel emotions that I otherwise wouldn’t feel.
How could you describe the festival?
The festival is a lively, sunny place, an opportunity to get to know the world by meeting authors who come from different countries. It offers children the opportunity to interact with the authors of the stories that have been read in class, but there are also moments open to adult audiences who are curious about children’s literature.
Introduce us to this year’s five books, trying to arouse our curiosity…
Storie Controvento offers five books this year: ‘The gang of old bacucchi’ by Florence Thinard, France, the sweet and pressing story of four elderly people still capable of having fun despite their advanced age and making us laugh together with them; ‘I’ll wait for you in San Something’ by Beniamino Sidoti, Italy, a romantic and delicate story, in which a boy experiences his move using books, films and songs as guides, discovering San Something through the eyes of imaginary characters; ‘The Thirteenth Summer’ by Gabriella Sköldenberg, Sweden, a very profound and at times distressing novel that effectively tells what it means to live in a toxic relationship; ‘Waiting for the wind’ by Oskar Kroon, Sweden, story of Vinga, a girl who is going through a difficult time in her family: she takes refuge on a remote island, where she spends the summer with her grandfather and meets her first love her; ‘Anna’ by Mia Oberländer, Germany, a graphic novel that tells the story of three generations of very tall women who suffer because of discrimination.
Finally, does meeting authors change the way you think about books?
– Knowing the authors is always an enrichment, never a disappointment. It’s like knowing the artist after seeing the painting.
– It’s interesting to know the work behind a work, whether you like it or not. This can stimulate you to read a book with another point of view.
– By meeting the authors you also have the opportunity to share your passion for writing or drawing.
Anna, Cecilia, Elia, Gilda, Ginevra, Mikhail, Nisia, Ottilia and Rafael, from the reading group Reading against the wind
Tags: Voices freedom Storie Controvento
