On Saturday 25 January 2025 at 16.00:XNUMX pm, the Mondadori Bookstore in Naples will host Andrea Barzini, renowned director, screenwriter, documentary maker, writer and artist, who will present his new book for school children “Carlotta ei inglesi invisibili”.
Article Key Points
Located in the Galleria Umberto I, the bookshop offers over 148.000 volumes ranging from great classics to best sellers up to the We are Junior area which includes children's books, educational games and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate the imagination of the little ones. There is no better place than this to discover the world of children's literature through the eyes of a great author, who for the occasion will talk with the kids in a creative and reading workshop, exploring and analyzing with them the themes and values that lie behind the thousand adventures of the little pest Carlotta. The meeting will offer the opportunity to stimulate the imagination and creativity of the participants, making reading an interactive and engaging experience.
The event will gain added value thanks to the participation of the well-known actress Miriam Candurro, who will join Barzini during the presentation and will give voice to the readings.
Publication
Published by Giunti Editore in the Le Strenne series, this second volume follows the editorial success of “Carlotta contro il mondo” and presents itself as a modern fairy tale suitable for all ages. Beneath Carlotta’s whirlwind and often comical adventures lies Barzini’s love for childhood and a true educational vocation, in addition to the search for a moral message. This time the protagonist, a combative child who cannot stand injustice and falsehood, finds herself fighting to unmask a pair of swindlers who are defrauding her grandmother.
Andrea Barzini guides the reader through Carlotta's many adventures, which are sometimes dramatic, often funny, becoming the narrator of events that - although they may appear childish - are actually full of meaning.
Also thanks to the original illustrations by Zosia Dzierżawska, the fairy tale stimulates the imagination of the child reader, offering him the possibility of immersing himself in the story by becoming the protagonist himself together with Carlotta, and - at the same time - allows the adult reader to find himself within contemporary themes, the absurdities and defects of our daily life, the commitment and dangers in the relationship with our children, bringing him back to that lost childhood that is inside every parent and that instead, for the good of our children, it is better to keep alive.
The plot
In the first volume Carlotta, an orphan with an absent father and "parked" by her grandmother, a very strict noblewoman who lives in a gloomy house, rebels, makes jokes, talks back and risks going to boarding school. But the grandmother hires the housekeeper Marie Jeanne, a brusque type, of few words and, above all, a magician. Thanks to the mystery and a magic ring (Marie Jeanne will never openly admit her powers) a very strong bond is born between the adult and the child. It will change Carlotta's life, it will teach her, without giving up her own personality, to apologize, to trust and to accept the rules.
In “Carlotta and the Invisible Enemies” Marie Jeanne has to go away and Carlotta will have to go it alone from now on, but she is not entirely sure she can do it. The governess, before leaving, gives her one recommendation: do not get into trouble. But when our heroine sees something wrong she cannot help but go to war. This time the enemies are a diabolical couple, Mali and Julio, she a charmer, he a tango master, owners of an orphanage that they manage in a rather questionable way. The two, who are also very powerful sorcerers, have fooled the grandmother and are defrauding her. An unequal fight, Mali and Julio also have the gift of invisibility, they discover Carlotta's plans and get her into such trouble that the grandmother decides, to bring her back to reason, to put her in the orphanage. Plunged into the horror of a concentration camp, Carlotta leads the orphans' revolt, but the two enemies are too strong and Marie Jeanne, a real Mary Poppins who shows off her magical powers in a final duel with Mali that shakes heaven and earth, arrives right on time to save her.
“Carlotta and the Invisible Enemies” is written in simple and direct language and covers a wide range of themes, such as self-confidence and trust in others, dishonesty, wickedness, but also courage, strength, love, tenacity, friendship and loyalty. The author has built his story around these values and ideals. The protagonist is a rebellious heroine with a thousand resources and a thousand flaws, a “Gian Burrasca” in a skirt. (Illustration on the right by Zosia Dzierżawska)
She is an artist, an inconsistent student, answers badly, sometimes she doesn't disdain a lie, but she makes herself loved for her passion and moves us for her desperate need for affection. The troubles she gets into and the causes she embraces are opportunities for growth. Looking for her way in the world she is put to the test, she gains awareness, makes mistakes and learns.
Andrea Barzini states:
“In writing Carlotta I thought about today's children whose imagination is too often taken away. Pampered by their parents like idols, protected as if they were made of porcelain, burdened by too many sports, recreational activities, etc., and threatened by the cell phone of algorithms, they live in a crowded world where the most important ingredient of childhood is missing, play, discovery, exploration…”
Barzini's work also serves as a lesson for adults who, catapulted into the world of childhood, thanks to this tale have the opportunity to understand that their problems and worries can mirror those of the little ones. "Carlotta and the invisible enemies" is an invitation to look beyond the surface of a text for children, exploring themes of depth that resonate in the life experience of each one.
This volume is the second chapter of what could become a full-fledged saga. In fact, Andrea Barzini states: “Writing Carlotta and bringing it to schools has been and will be a wonderful experience. Everywhere I went, the children, who had just read “Carlotta against the world”, welcomed me with a single, joyful cry: “We love Carlotta!” Now it’s the turn of “Carlotta and the invisible enemies”, who knows the series could continue…”
Free admission while seats last.
Article published on 23 January 2025 - 11:07
