The writer told the children about work, learning and real life
In 1948, 28-year-old Gianni Rodari worked for the Unity of Milan, the newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.
Having learned that the young journalist was a teacher in primary school, the editor-in-chief of the publication suggested that he lead a children's section in Sunday’s rooms.
At that time in Italy “caramel books” were published for kids - tales about the adventures of angels and pink giraffes. And Gianni believed that the children of the workers needed tales that would tell them about work, education, real life.
Somehow a letter from one woman came to the editor. “I live in a dark and damp basement, for many years we haven’t been at home,” she wrote. “My son is growing up in this basement, his name is Chichcho. Write him a poem.”
And Gianni wrote a song about Chichcho, and then there were many more poems about disadvantaged children. And in 1951, his first tale "The Adventures of Chipollino" appeared.
A smart and cheerful onion boy and his friends arrange a socialist revolution in their fruit and vegetable country and defeat the exploiters.
In 1967, the writer was recognized as the best writer in Italy, and three years later he received the most prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and became world famous.
Having learned that the young journalist was a teacher in primary school, the editor-in-chief of the publication suggested that he lead a children's section in Sunday’s rooms.
At that time in Italy “caramel books” were published for kids - tales about the adventures of angels and pink giraffes. And Gianni believed that the children of the workers needed tales that would tell them about work, education, real life.
Photo © gazeta.ua
Somehow a letter from one woman came to the editor. “I live in a dark and damp basement, for many years we haven’t been at home,” she wrote. “My son is growing up in this basement, his name is Chichcho. Write him a poem.”
And Gianni wrote a song about Chichcho, and then there were many more poems about disadvantaged children. And in 1951, his first tale "The Adventures of Chipollino" appeared.
A smart and cheerful onion boy and his friends arrange a socialist revolution in their fruit and vegetable country and defeat the exploiters.
In 1967, the writer was recognized as the best writer in Italy, and three years later he received the most prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award and became world famous.
