During the Rarreca Book Festival in Caggiano (Salerno), held on July 5th and 6th, thanks to a careful and informed selection of guests, authentic cultural entities emerged, united by a strong identity and a desire for change. Among these, Compagnia del Mantello stood out with its mini-show Amattori —a blend of stories and visions that brought to the festival the essence of a project that goes far beyond entertainment. A courageous initiative, capable of combining passion and a social mission.
It is precisely about them—the stories they bring, the values they spread—that we want to tell you.
The Rarrǝca Festival dedicated special attention to children with the Rarrǝca Kids event. In this context, the Compagnia del Mantello ODV, along with its founder and project creator Francesco Domenico Giannino—known for his commitment to volunteering and storytelling—played a key role, capturing the attention and enthusiasm of the children and adults attending the event.
On Saturday, July 5th, the actors of the Compagnia del Mantello performed a show inspired by the book "Kunda," part of the Libri Buoni series. The theme of the performance is a story set in a charming fishing village overlooking the Baltic Sea, where legend, adventure, and universal values harmoniously intertwine.
The following day, Francesco Domenico Giannino himself officially presented the publishing initiative, illustrating its contents, aims and social impact during a meeting moderated by Giuseppe Castellucci and enriched by the presence of Viviana Scuderi , curator of the book's graphic design in collaboration with Silvia Gorla , who was not present in person.
The character of the Magician Cloak, born from an intuition of teacher and educator Francesco Domenico Giannino during his lessons in Rome's primary schools, has become the heart of an educational and theatrical project.
From this simple idea came a book, a show, and finally the Compagnia del Mantello ODV , an organization that brings stories, workshops, and theater to hospitalized children and those in vulnerable situations, with the aim of spreading culture and hope through storytelling in solidarity where it is most needed.
The flagship of this luminous and poetic enterprise is the "Libri Buoni" series, aimed at children and young people aged 3 to 16. As founder Francesco Domenico Giannino emphasizes, books are conceived as enduring objects , capable of leaving a lasting impression over time.
- "The book becomes an oasis. Knowing that a story remains unchanged and continues to be reprinted over the decades is our goal; this is why we practice slow writing. We dedicate years to writing: four years for a book, as if it were a degree. With extreme care, we address children, adolescents, and adults seeking a point of reference."
Compagnia del Mantello is an independent and free publishing initiative, created to promote ethical, socially engaged, and widely distributed works. Each book is accompanied by a theatrical performance, capable of immersing readers in the narrative and generating a living memory.
To date, 40.000 books have been donated, one of which has been translated into six languages. This initiative draws its lifeblood from the unity of many cooperating interests, offering children and young people a comprehensive and profoundly human educational experience.
"Kunda" is also a text in which illustrations are a fundamental part of the project, because a book, to be truly "good," must not only be read: it must also be observed, interpreted, and experienced. Viviana Scuderi and Silvia Gorla have curated this visual aspect with sensitivity and mastery, using their art to make reading more fluid and engaging, capable of evoking inspiration and amplifying the narrative power of the stories.
The Compagnia del Mantello 's "Good Books" are truly artisanal products, designed to convey essential messages and respond to families' desire to offer their children quality tools and cultural value. These works respect the child's identity and accompany them with gentleness and awareness on their educational journey.
You can actively participate in the Compagnia del Mantello: their website has a dedicated section, where you can propose stories, workshops, activities, or simply volunteer your time. As the project's founder emphasizes:
"Joining the Company means donating even just an idea. Within 24 hours, you'll receive a response, a phone call, a thank you. Even remotely, someone can lend us a hand; building stories and dreams for those who need concrete results."
A strong statement clearly encapsulates the mission of the Compagnia del Mantello, the ambitious and charitable goal that guides its commitment: “In pediatric oncology departments, imagination is everything”.
Giannino himself interprets and shares this sentiment, with words full of humanity and meaning: "In those wards, treatment is based on medicine, drugs, and doctors; therapy is the foundation, it's indispensable. We at the Compagnia don't have therapeutic tools, but for those children there, still unaware of their illness, we intervene as a social art: a beneficial distortion of silence, lights, noises, and healing scents.
We bring distraction, we remove them from the cold hospital environment. We take them elsewhere. It's relaxation, it's respite for the families, it's human warmth for the adults who are there and who, for a moment, see a smile return."
Where medicine isn't enough, the power of stories and the desire to offer relief come to the rescue. We can all contribute, simply by connecting to the site: to share an idea, suggest an activity, or choose one of the Good Books—knowing that every purchase translates into the donation of a book to a hospitalized child. Active participation means becoming part of a charitable project. Below are the links that will allow you to explore this fascinating project.
The Rarreca Book Festival was very interesting, but I noticed some organizational issues. The children seemed to be having fun, but there were delays in the shows and not all the guests were present. This could be improved in the future.