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Lo stralisco
Lo stralisco è la storia di una amicizia delicata e se si preferisce, una fiaba sul potere d'amore.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
32 people are currently reading
1330 people want to read
About the author
Roberto Piumini
514 books28 followersRoberto Piumini è nato a Edolo, in provincia di Brescia, il 14 marzo 1947.
Ha abitato a Edolo, Varese, Milano.
Nel 1970 si è laureato in Pedagogia all’Università Cattolica di Milano, con tesi su La persona del poeta in Emmanuel Mounier.
Ha frequentato la Scuola Superiore di Comunicazioni Sociali di Milano.
Dal 1967 al 1973 è stato insegnante di lettere in scuole medie e superiori della provincia di Varese.
Ha condotto numerosi corsi di dinamica espressiva, espressione corporea, scrittura poetica e teatrale.
È stato attore per tre anni con le compagnie Teatro Uomo di Milano e La Loggetta di Brescia.
Ha fatto esperienza per un anno come burattinaio.
Dal 1978 ha pubblicato moltissimi libri di fiabe, racconti corti e lunghi, romanzi, filastrocche, poesie, poemi, testi teatrali, testi di canzoni, testi per teatro musicale e cori, traduzioni, adattamenti, testi parascolastici, presso circa 70 editori italiani.
Ha scritto una trentina di testi poetici (poesie, ballate, poemi narrativi, canzoni) su materiali di ricerca e memoria di gruppi di bambini, ragazzi e adulti, in varie località, fra cui Omegna, Alessandria, Scandiano, Milano, Imola, Reggio Emilia, Roma, Modena, Castel del Rio, Torino, Mestre, Lugano (Svizzera).
Ha una cinquantina di traduzioni all’estero.
Dal 1990 ha pubblicato per adulti quattro romanzi, cinque raccolte di racconti, testi di parodia letteraria, canzonieri, poemi narrativi, presso una dozzina di editori.
Ha scritto testi poetici e narrativi su illustrazioni e in cataloghi d’arte.
Ha tradotto in versi poemi di Browning, i Sonetti e il Macbeth di Shakespeare, il Paradiso Perduto di John Milton e l’Aulularia di Plauto, con aggiunta di finale apocrifo.
Ha scritto in collaborazione con musicisti diversi libri su autori, strumenti, stili musicali, con materiale audio.
Ha registrato in audiolibri poemi e racconti propri e di altri autori.
È stato fra gli autori e ideatori della trasmissione televisiva RAI L’Albero Azzurro.
Ha scritto e condotto le trasmissioni radiofoniche Radicchio e Il Mattino di Zucchero.
Ha scritto e scrive testi per opere musicali, in collaborazione con musicisti italiani ed esteri.
Ha scritto soggetti e sceneggiature per cartoni animati e cortometraggi di fiction.
Ha scritto testi di accompagnamento per visite in musei, tra cui Il Museo Marino Marini e il Museo Palazzo Strozzi di Firenze.
Con gruppi corali, strumentisti, cantanti e attori, o accompagnato alla chitarra dal figlio Michele, propone spettacoli di lettura e recitazione di propri testi, per bambini, ragazzi e adulti, e spettacoli di animazione teatrale e musicale
Ha abitato a Edolo, Varese, Milano.
Nel 1970 si è laureato in Pedagogia all’Università Cattolica di Milano, con tesi su La persona del poeta in Emmanuel Mounier.
Ha frequentato la Scuola Superiore di Comunicazioni Sociali di Milano.
Dal 1967 al 1973 è stato insegnante di lettere in scuole medie e superiori della provincia di Varese.
Ha condotto numerosi corsi di dinamica espressiva, espressione corporea, scrittura poetica e teatrale.
È stato attore per tre anni con le compagnie Teatro Uomo di Milano e La Loggetta di Brescia.
Ha fatto esperienza per un anno come burattinaio.
Dal 1978 ha pubblicato moltissimi libri di fiabe, racconti corti e lunghi, romanzi, filastrocche, poesie, poemi, testi teatrali, testi di canzoni, testi per teatro musicale e cori, traduzioni, adattamenti, testi parascolastici, presso circa 70 editori italiani.
Ha scritto una trentina di testi poetici (poesie, ballate, poemi narrativi, canzoni) su materiali di ricerca e memoria di gruppi di bambini, ragazzi e adulti, in varie località, fra cui Omegna, Alessandria, Scandiano, Milano, Imola, Reggio Emilia, Roma, Modena, Castel del Rio, Torino, Mestre, Lugano (Svizzera).
Ha una cinquantina di traduzioni all’estero.
Dal 1990 ha pubblicato per adulti quattro romanzi, cinque raccolte di racconti, testi di parodia letteraria, canzonieri, poemi narrativi, presso una dozzina di editori.
Ha scritto testi poetici e narrativi su illustrazioni e in cataloghi d’arte.
Ha tradotto in versi poemi di Browning, i Sonetti e il Macbeth di Shakespeare, il Paradiso Perduto di John Milton e l’Aulularia di Plauto, con aggiunta di finale apocrifo.
Ha scritto in collaborazione con musicisti diversi libri su autori, strumenti, stili musicali, con materiale audio.
Ha registrato in audiolibri poemi e racconti propri e di altri autori.
È stato fra gli autori e ideatori della trasmissione televisiva RAI L’Albero Azzurro.
Ha scritto e condotto le trasmissioni radiofoniche Radicchio e Il Mattino di Zucchero.
Ha scritto e scrive testi per opere musicali, in collaborazione con musicisti italiani ed esteri.
Ha scritto soggetti e sceneggiature per cartoni animati e cortometraggi di fiction.
Ha scritto testi di accompagnamento per visite in musei, tra cui Il Museo Marino Marini e il Museo Palazzo Strozzi di Firenze.
Con gruppi corali, strumentisti, cantanti e attori, o accompagnato alla chitarra dal figlio Michele, propone spettacoli di lettura e recitazione di propri testi, per bambini, ragazzi e adulti, e spettacoli di animazione teatrale e musicale
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
April 25, 2022
Deliziosa.
Una favola orientaleggiante, dal sapore un po’ amaro. Per sognare.
Favola ascoltata in audiolibro direttamente dalla voce di Piumini.
Mi sono stupita di 2 cose:
1) favola dal gusto orientale, scritta da un autore italiano… come mai?
2) voce particolarissima, a cui ho fatto un po’ fatica ad abituarmi —> Voce ruvida, storia delicata.
Una favola orientaleggiante, dal sapore un po’ amaro. Per sognare.
Favola ascoltata in audiolibro direttamente dalla voce di Piumini.
Mi sono stupita di 2 cose:
1) favola dal gusto orientale, scritta da un autore italiano… come mai?
2) voce particolarissima, a cui ho fatto un po’ fatica ad abituarmi —> Voce ruvida, storia delicata.
January 23, 2025
This was truly lovely. Sad but beautiful. So many people, too many people, will never live as much life as the characters do in the confines of the rooms in which they are kept.
March 31, 2025
hele şükür azıcık kafamı toplayıp “çocuk kitabı” okuyabildim. yazarın pek çok kitabı varmış ama dediğim gibi ben uzun süredir sahalardan uzağım. normalde çocuk kitaplarının çocuk çocuk olmasını severim, yani çocuğun çocuk gibi konuşması önemlidir benim için ama “fırçaların sihri”ni böyle olmadığı halde sevdim.
neden? çünkü çocuk karakter çocuk gibi olmasa da roman didaktik değil. doğrudan mesaj vermiyor. onlar zaten red flag.
bu kitap daha ziyade bir doğu masalı gibi yazılmış, doğuda çocuklar çocuk gibi olmaz zaten biliyorsunuz. burada da çok küçük yaşta annesiz kalmış ve kronik bir rahatsızlığı olan madurer, çocuğumuz. anadolu beylikleri döneminde geçiyor ki bana epey ilginç geldi o kısmı. malatya’dan çağırılan ressam sakumat çocuğun odasına resim çizmeye davet ediliyor ve ressamla çocuk arasında çok özel bir dostluk gelişiyor. yani “küçük prens”e benzer bir metin karşımızdaki.
kitabın en etkileyici yanı her istediği yapılarak büyümüş beyin oğlu madurer’in şımarık olmayı bırakın ne denli kaygılı, mükemmeliyetçi ve özgüvensiz olmasının minik ipuçlarıyla verilmesi ve ressamın bu arazları yavaşça çözmesi. (biraz z kuşağı çocukları, bizimkiler gibi yani.)
ve elbette kitabın en önemli kısmı bence sanatın ne işe yaradığı, nasıl ilerlediği, neye çözüm olduğunun çok hoş hikayelerle verilmesi.
dediğim gibi doğu anlatılarını sevenler, 10+ yaşındaki dingin şeyler okumayı seven çocuklar için çok güzel bir kitap olabilir. ayrıca eren cendey çevirisi.
neden? çünkü çocuk karakter çocuk gibi olmasa da roman didaktik değil. doğrudan mesaj vermiyor. onlar zaten red flag.
bu kitap daha ziyade bir doğu masalı gibi yazılmış, doğuda çocuklar çocuk gibi olmaz zaten biliyorsunuz. burada da çok küçük yaşta annesiz kalmış ve kronik bir rahatsızlığı olan madurer, çocuğumuz. anadolu beylikleri döneminde geçiyor ki bana epey ilginç geldi o kısmı. malatya’dan çağırılan ressam sakumat çocuğun odasına resim çizmeye davet ediliyor ve ressamla çocuk arasında çok özel bir dostluk gelişiyor. yani “küçük prens”e benzer bir metin karşımızdaki.
kitabın en etkileyici yanı her istediği yapılarak büyümüş beyin oğlu madurer’in şımarık olmayı bırakın ne denli kaygılı, mükemmeliyetçi ve özgüvensiz olmasının minik ipuçlarıyla verilmesi ve ressamın bu arazları yavaşça çözmesi. (biraz z kuşağı çocukları, bizimkiler gibi yani.)
ve elbette kitabın en önemli kısmı bence sanatın ne işe yaradığı, nasıl ilerlediği, neye çözüm olduğunun çok hoş hikayelerle verilmesi.
dediğim gibi doğu anlatılarını sevenler, 10+ yaşındaki dingin şeyler okumayı seven çocuklar için çok güzel bir kitap olabilir. ayrıca eren cendey çevirisi.
August 20, 2023
Sweet and sad and wistful and untethering. These words sound pretentious but you will understand when you read.
October 31, 2023
A stunning story, so beautiful. I hope it stays with me for years to come as company.
Read
January 16, 2024I might have to ask the library to buy this. Fits for intergenerational friendship and for Boys who are not all manly, according to my GR friend.
---
My library did buy it. And cataloged it Juvenile, not sure why. So far so good, but subtle, mystical, maybe a little bit like Sophie and the Hedgehog or Life of Pi or The Alchemist? Anyway, also about art. Not sure of the appeal for kids but I'll add it to the theme for art & artists in the Children's Books group anyway.
---
Now that I'm done I see that it was written for children and marketed to them. I can see that, I suppose, if I think of it as a fable for all ages, kind of like the marvelous 'juveniles' from James Thurber.
"You see, the meadow's roots are in the sky of the earth, and the flowers are roots in the air."
---
My library did buy it. And cataloged it Juvenile, not sure why. So far so good, but subtle, mystical, maybe a little bit like Sophie and the Hedgehog or Life of Pi or The Alchemist? Anyway, also about art. Not sure of the appeal for kids but I'll add it to the theme for art & artists in the Children's Books group anyway.
---
Now that I'm done I see that it was written for children and marketed to them. I can see that, I suppose, if I think of it as a fable for all ages, kind of like the marvelous 'juveniles' from James Thurber.
"You see, the meadow's roots are in the sky of the earth, and the flowers are roots in the air."
December 1, 2015
Appena finito di leggerlo con mia figlia di 10 anni..... che delicatezza, che poesia....
ma come si fa a 40 anni ritrovarsi con il magone mentre si sta leggendo un libro per bambini!?? anche qui,,,per bambini non è corretto, un libro proprio per tutti.....incantata dalle descrizioni dei paesaggi....
Scrittori e poeti si nasce.... sempre piu' convinta...
Just finished reading it with my 10 year old daughter ..... what a delicacy , and poetry ....
but how do you end up with 40 years choked up and in tears while you are reading a children's book ! ?? Also here ,,, children is not correct , a book just for everyone ..... Enchanted by the descriptions of landscapes ....
you dont' become Writers or poets, yu are are born with these gifts
ma come si fa a 40 anni ritrovarsi con il magone mentre si sta leggendo un libro per bambini!?? anche qui,,,per bambini non è corretto, un libro proprio per tutti.....incantata dalle descrizioni dei paesaggi....
Scrittori e poeti si nasce.... sempre piu' convinta...
Just finished reading it with my 10 year old daughter ..... what a delicacy , and poetry ....
but how do you end up with 40 years choked up and in tears while you are reading a children's book ! ?? Also here ,,, children is not correct , a book just for everyone ..... Enchanted by the descriptions of landscapes ....
you dont' become Writers or poets, yu are are born with these gifts
January 17, 2021
Avevo sentito parlare bene di questo romanzo per ragazzi... e la lettura ha confermato le mie aspettative. Roberto Piumini da prova di essere un abile narratore: con grazia, delicatezza e un pizzico di lirismo affronta temi importanti come l'amore, l'amicizia, la malattia, l'arte e la morte. La storia del giovane Madurer, destinato ad una morte prematura, si fa strumento per poter dare spazio a considerazioni e riflessioni sulla vita, sul mondo, sull'arte e sui rapporti tra persone anche di età ed estrazione sociale diverse.
Un racconto lirico e poetico, che segue un ritmo lento ma costante e accompagna il lettore lungo le 100 pagine di questo racconto avvolgente e morbido, che assomiglia ad un sogno.
Indicato dai 9 nove anni, io suggerisco di leggerlo insieme ai ragazzi per poter approfittare degli spunti di Piumini per conversare con loro e affrontare temi che, a volte, risultano difficili da "mettere sul tavolo" ma che costituiscono le fondamenta del nostro essere.
Un racconto lirico e poetico, che segue un ritmo lento ma costante e accompagna il lettore lungo le 100 pagine di questo racconto avvolgente e morbido, che assomiglia ad un sogno.
Indicato dai 9 nove anni, io suggerisco di leggerlo insieme ai ragazzi per poter approfittare degli spunti di Piumini per conversare con loro e affrontare temi che, a volte, risultano difficili da "mettere sul tavolo" ma che costituiscono le fondamenta del nostro essere.
May 11, 2024
Whimsical and sad. Sensitive and melancholic. Beautiful and heartrending. 'Glowrushes' was a meditative exercise. I read it in a day and I regret the hurry with which I read it.
Don't make my mistake. Take your time and really immerse yourself in the mindfulness of this book. This is life. Death. And change. All the hollow edges and curves fit into a fable.
Don't make my mistake. Take your time and really immerse yourself in the mindfulness of this book. This is life. Death. And change. All the hollow edges and curves fit into a fable.
June 16, 2024
The next time someone asks me why I read kid’s lit, I’m forcing this on them and running away without saying a word. This is, I think, an exemplary reason for why adults should read kid’s lit. I am struck. Mangled. Changed. Read it!!!!
October 18, 2025
Glowrushes is an inspirational story that is set in Turkey and a in it is a story where a painter is asked to come to a temple in a town to help a boy paint his rooms. The boy has a disease which makes him not able to go outside so the boy and the painter decide on what they want to paint in his rooms. The boy decide to paint the world and the myths and tales with it. As the boy and the painter get along, the boy started wailing which was build up of his disease and when it happened again, the Burban called the doctors. Will the boy survive and will the painter finish painting the boys room?
PS: This book is very sad. I didn’t want to include this in the review because it would make the story seem sad and I didn’t want to hurt anyone feeling about the book. And everyone has different feelings about the book.
PS: This book is very sad. I didn’t want to include this in the review because it would make the story seem sad and I didn’t want to hurt anyone feeling about the book. And everyone has different feelings about the book.
June 21, 2024
3.5, such a gentle, short read that was reminiscent of studio ghibli/the wind rises
May 23, 2024
A painter and a sick boy become friends as they navigate the boy’s imagination and create an unfolding world upon his walls. What a gift his father and the painter have given this boy, and it is a treasure of a read that I have decided to add to my own collection. I kept thinking throughout the book I wanted to buy it (I checked it out from my library), but wanted to wait until I actually finished it. I went and bought it within minutes of finishing. Such a beautiful book!
Want to read
November 25, 2023https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/17/bo...
Excerpt:
"Once in a great while a book comes along that’s equally enthralling for children and the people they call grown-ups — a book playful and accessible enough to hold a young person’s attention yet sufficiently resonant and complex to keep a seasoned reader turning its pages, sometimes even while fighting back tears. We label these works children’s classics . . ."
New translation, NYRB Kids, published OCT 2023. A NY Times Notable Book.
Excerpt:
"Once in a great while a book comes along that’s equally enthralling for children and the people they call grown-ups — a book playful and accessible enough to hold a young person’s attention yet sufficiently resonant and complex to keep a seasoned reader turning its pages, sometimes even while fighting back tears. We label these works children’s classics . . ."
New translation, NYRB Kids, published OCT 2023. A NY Times Notable Book.
March 11, 2011
Una storia lieve e delicata... proprio come la famosa piuma di Forrest Gump che mi è stata riportata alla mente dal cognome dell'autore. Saggezza espressa con grande maestria e leggerezza. Davvero un libro notevole, con dei passaggi indimenticabili (lo stralisco, i fiori come radici nel cielo).
E che gioia imbattersi nelle splendide illustrazioni (la mia preferita è quella dei velieri).
Lo stralisco e tutte le storie racchiuse nei suoi bagliori notturni mi hanno conquistata.
E che gioia imbattersi nelle splendide illustrazioni (la mia preferita è quella dei velieri).
Lo stralisco e tutte le storie racchiuse nei suoi bagliori notturni mi hanno conquistata.
May 8, 2011
Letto quando ero ancora una bambina di 12 anni e riletto oggi che ne ho 21. Non c'è paragone! E' un errore catalogare questo piccolo capolavoro come 'Libro per ragazzi' come se, avendogli attribuito questo titolo, un lettore possa aspettarsi una 'sciocchezza' con curata indifferenza. NO! Errore. Piumini è un poeta. Affascina i piccoli e coinvolge i grandi. Non c'è nulla da aggiungere.
June 14, 2023
4,5
Glowrushes (Pushkin Press, UK)
Glowrushes (Pushkin Press, UK)
August 4, 2025
This is the book that has affected me the most so far this year.
I first read the original Italian version, but so much wanted to be able to share it with others who do not speak Italian, moreover wondered how much more beauty I may have missed.
So immediately upon finishing also ordered an English translation online.
It arrived the next day, and I read it in one go in less than 2 hours.
Liked it even better when I understood it in full. The translation matches the original very well, and does it justice.
To summarize it in just one sentence: it is about a boy allergic to anything outside his bedroom and about a painter who is commissioned to turn his living quarters into an impressively painted world of its own.
What I disliked: at first, the emphasis on the Turkish context, because it is so different from my own.
What I liked: the characters' positive mindsets and willingness to create something wonderful together. I most of all love the idea of .
To me, this is a story about marvel and resilience, about the imaginative mind of a child and the empowerment an adult can provide, about finding a kindred spirit, about broadening your mind regardless of challenges.
The paintings are described in such detail that you can perfectly imagine them - though I would still love to see them in illustrated form. My Italian paperback has illustrations but they do not show the paintings themselves, rather artistic impressions of the plot in general.
I was sad to see the novel come to an end, and even emotional about its resolution.
I want others to read it, except that I fear they may have a different opinion about it, whereas I treasure this novel - both in my mind and in twofold now in my bookcase.
So: recommended, but don't tell me if you disliked it.
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Update
Heb het boek ook nog in een derde taal gekocht (en gelezen) om het als verjaardagsgeschenk te kunnen geven aan iemand specifiek. Uitgave van Querido, enkel nog tweedehands verkrijgbaar blijkbaar, maar goede vertaling: ik vermoed door een Vlaming, want deze voelde voor de verandering eens niet Hollands. Hopelijk komt deze ooit opnieuw in druk (met dezelfde prachtige nieuwe kaft als van deze uitgave van Glowrushes dan, zodat ook anderen er instant voor vallen).
---------------------
Original review after reading this novel for the first time:
Chiaramente ancora al di sopra del mio livello. Dovrei rileggerlo quando raggiungerò il livello C1.
Però I dialoghi sono facili da capire e capisco il succo generale di ciò che sta accadendo. Ci sono piuttosto molte parole avanzate sparse a describere l'ambientazione qua e là che non conosco ancora.
Parla di un’amicizia davvero bella e di un modo di pensare che rende il mondo bello così com’è.
Mi piace tantissimo la personalità creativa e piena di meraviglia di Madurer.
E vorrei tanto vedere i dipinti in tutte le loro forme. Che idea meravigliosa, poi, .
Una storia bellissima che mi ha reso felice e triste allo stesso tempo. Che fa pensare.
I first read the original Italian version, but so much wanted to be able to share it with others who do not speak Italian, moreover wondered how much more beauty I may have missed.
So immediately upon finishing also ordered an English translation online.
It arrived the next day, and I read it in one go in less than 2 hours.
Liked it even better when I understood it in full. The translation matches the original very well, and does it justice.
To summarize it in just one sentence: it is about a boy allergic to anything outside his bedroom and about a painter who is commissioned to turn his living quarters into an impressively painted world of its own.
What I disliked: at first, the emphasis on the Turkish context, because it is so different from my own.
What I liked: the characters' positive mindsets and willingness to create something wonderful together. I most of all love the idea of .
To me, this is a story about marvel and resilience, about the imaginative mind of a child and the empowerment an adult can provide, about finding a kindred spirit, about broadening your mind regardless of challenges.
The paintings are described in such detail that you can perfectly imagine them - though I would still love to see them in illustrated form. My Italian paperback has illustrations but they do not show the paintings themselves, rather artistic impressions of the plot in general.
I was sad to see the novel come to an end, and even emotional about its resolution.
I want others to read it, except that I fear they may have a different opinion about it, whereas I treasure this novel - both in my mind and in twofold now in my bookcase.
So: recommended, but don't tell me if you disliked it.
---------------------
Update
Heb het boek ook nog in een derde taal gekocht (en gelezen) om het als verjaardagsgeschenk te kunnen geven aan iemand specifiek. Uitgave van Querido, enkel nog tweedehands verkrijgbaar blijkbaar, maar goede vertaling: ik vermoed door een Vlaming, want deze voelde voor de verandering eens niet Hollands. Hopelijk komt deze ooit opnieuw in druk (met dezelfde prachtige nieuwe kaft als van deze uitgave van Glowrushes dan, zodat ook anderen er instant voor vallen).
---------------------
Original review after reading this novel for the first time:
Chiaramente ancora al di sopra del mio livello. Dovrei rileggerlo quando raggiungerò il livello C1.
Però I dialoghi sono facili da capire e capisco il succo generale di ciò che sta accadendo. Ci sono piuttosto molte parole avanzate sparse a describere l'ambientazione qua e là che non conosco ancora.
Parla di un’amicizia davvero bella e di un modo di pensare che rende il mondo bello così com’è.
Mi piace tantissimo la personalità creativa e piena di meraviglia di Madurer.
E vorrei tanto vedere i dipinti in tutte le loro forme. Che idea meravigliosa, poi, .
Una storia bellissima che mi ha reso felice e triste allo stesso tempo. Che fa pensare.
February 25, 2024
Read it. Peter had read about this one in the NYT and wanted to give it a go, so I checked it out of the library (thanks, HCLIB!). It was beautiful and heartbreaking with a very abrupt ending that works even if I wasn’t satisfied. The poor ill child and the painter create worlds and then they end, gorgeously and with such tenderness.
March 5, 2024
So beautiful! 💗💗💗
November 18, 2025
Emozionante
November 30, 2023
A beautiful, gentle book to share.
December 13, 2024
A beautiful little children's book translated from Italian that you can read in one night and will leave you thinking about the role art can play in our lives.
June 10, 2024
I have a very hard time rating this book.
On the one hand, it was a really sweet book, touching on fatherly love, intergenerational friendship, and the escapism provided by art and imagination.
On the other hand, for me, it lacks conflict, which makes it feel a bit…bland? I feel like “bland” is too harsh a term to use, and I definitely didn’t find it completely uninteresting, but it is probably a bit too contemplative for me.
That being said, I get that the extremely smooth, non-conflictual way the characters interact with each-other is a strong point of the book. The way each character treats the others as equals, as people deserving respect, regardless of their rank, their age, their skills…It is a really nice message. It is soothing.
The ending, as could be expected (one of the characters is a severely ill child), is very melancholic, but beautiful nonetheless.
In short, I’d say that it is a nice book to read if you’re in a poetic, philosophical, or meditative mood (and if you’re not afraid to shed one tear or two), but that you should probably look another way if you’re looking for something a bit more engaging.
I gave it 3 stars. If I had been in another mood when picking it up I might have given it 4... So I'll settle on 3.5 stars.
On the one hand, it was a really sweet book, touching on fatherly love, intergenerational friendship, and the escapism provided by art and imagination.
On the other hand, for me, it lacks conflict, which makes it feel a bit…bland? I feel like “bland” is too harsh a term to use, and I definitely didn’t find it completely uninteresting, but it is probably a bit too contemplative for me.
That being said, I get that the extremely smooth, non-conflictual way the characters interact with each-other is a strong point of the book. The way each character treats the others as equals, as people deserving respect, regardless of their rank, their age, their skills…It is a really nice message. It is soothing.
The ending, as could be expected (one of the characters is a severely ill child), is very melancholic, but beautiful nonetheless.
In short, I’d say that it is a nice book to read if you’re in a poetic, philosophical, or meditative mood (and if you’re not afraid to shed one tear or two), but that you should probably look another way if you’re looking for something a bit more engaging.
I gave it 3 stars. If I had been in another mood when picking it up I might have given it 4... So I'll settle on 3.5 stars.
August 24, 2024
Thanks to Pushkin Press for sending me a proof copy in exchange for an honest review, which you can find below.
I don't tend to read that many children's books, but I absolutely adored this one. It's a moving, gorgeously written examination of the power of friendship, storytelling and art to help us get through the toughest of situations. As someone who has always relied on the arts to get me through difficult times, whether that be mental health struggles or the numerous lockdowns, the themes of this book really resonated with me and this book will stay with me for a long time. The fact that the main character is a painter and the artwork he creates plays a key role in the plot also didn't hurt, and the way that Piumini describes the painting process and the artworks produced is stunning.
As with all of the best children's books, it's equally powerful and enjoyable for the adult reader, and I can't recommend it highly enough especially now that it's finally been published in English for the first time.
I don't tend to read that many children's books, but I absolutely adored this one. It's a moving, gorgeously written examination of the power of friendship, storytelling and art to help us get through the toughest of situations. As someone who has always relied on the arts to get me through difficult times, whether that be mental health struggles or the numerous lockdowns, the themes of this book really resonated with me and this book will stay with me for a long time. The fact that the main character is a painter and the artwork he creates plays a key role in the plot also didn't hurt, and the way that Piumini describes the painting process and the artworks produced is stunning.
As with all of the best children's books, it's equally powerful and enjoyable for the adult reader, and I can't recommend it highly enough especially now that it's finally been published in English for the first time.
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January 20, 2024There’s an unprovable theory that the distinguishing line between writing for children and writing for adults is that writing aimed for children does not stray into the emotional realm that (typically) only adult experiences make accessible to us.
In that case, Piumini’s book, while centred on a child and very simply told, is not a children’s book, because if deals in the matter of adult transformation.
A king calls a painter to his palace, to decorate the rooms of his eleven year-old son, who has a dearly allergy to sunlight and air-borne dust. Together, the painter and the prince create three linked environments of mountains, sea and meadow. As the boy’s health fails the stories become ever deeper, and the shared love of him between the painter and the king ever more poignant.
Half-way through the book, I was thinking “No kid would ever want to read this, it’s boring”. At the end that didn’t matter. Not a book for kids, but a beautiful emotional experience nonetheless.
In that case, Piumini’s book, while centred on a child and very simply told, is not a children’s book, because if deals in the matter of adult transformation.
A king calls a painter to his palace, to decorate the rooms of his eleven year-old son, who has a dearly allergy to sunlight and air-borne dust. Together, the painter and the prince create three linked environments of mountains, sea and meadow. As the boy’s health fails the stories become ever deeper, and the shared love of him between the painter and the king ever more poignant.
Half-way through the book, I was thinking “No kid would ever want to read this, it’s boring”. At the end that didn’t matter. Not a book for kids, but a beautiful emotional experience nonetheless.
February 25, 2024
I don't remember how this book was recommended to me, but even though I no longer have kids to read with, I still wanted to experience this Italian author of children's literature. The book is a beautiful tale of a painter who comes to live in the castle of a Turkish sultan whose son cannot leave his rooms. If the translation is any indication, Piumini is a beautiful writer and the tale is a wonderful reminder of the power of art and the human imagination. I found the ending unsatisfying, which is why only 3 stars.
February 4, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
Such a heartwarming(breaking) story. I cried during several parts of the book.
I loved the descriptions of nature, the paintings. The magic of creation/imagination that only a child could truly have.
The messages behind some quotes were profound and beautiful. It is such a moving, whimsical tale of friendship, adventure and life. It definitely feels like a Studio Ghibli movie slightly sadder.
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because I wanted more of it: time, depth, wholesome bonding and stories 🥹
Highly recommend it 🤎🌾✨
Such a heartwarming(breaking) story. I cried during several parts of the book.
I loved the descriptions of nature, the paintings. The magic of creation/imagination that only a child could truly have.
The messages behind some quotes were profound and beautiful. It is such a moving, whimsical tale of friendship, adventure and life. It definitely feels like a Studio Ghibli movie slightly sadder.
The only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because I wanted more of it: time, depth, wholesome bonding and stories 🥹
Highly recommend it 🤎🌾✨
September 8, 2021
Dieses Buch hat einen besonderen Platz in meinem Herzen und ich empfehle es jedem*r zu lesen - wunderschöne Naturbeschreibungen, eine besondere Freundschaft und Phantasie pur - und das auf knapp 100 Seiten. Was will man mehr?
January 19, 2023
I read the English translation of this book, Glowrushes, translated by Leah Janeczko. This was the most beautiful, heartbreaking, and heart-opening book ever. I could just imagine being read this as a child. Absolutely loved it, it was magical and wonderful.
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