Saturday 19 September, 3pm at the Victoria Library, 160 Buckingham Palace Rd, London SW1W 9TR
Book O’Clock with Gloria Danili: Il giardiniere dei sogni by Claudio Gobbetti, illustrations by Diyana Nikolova
In Italian
BOOK O’CLOCK is the book club for children aged 4 to 11 promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute in London – in collaboration with Gloria Danili, Italian-London author of books for children and young people, and SIAL School. It was broadcast online from September 2021 on the ICI London channels, continued live from 2023 at the school in Holland Park, and from February 2026 it will make an appearance among the shelves of the Children’s Room – within the wonderful setting of the Victoria Library.
At the next appointment on 19 September, Gloria Danili awaits you with the dreamlike picture book “Il giardiniere dei sogni” by Claudio Gobbetti (author) and Diyana Nikolova (illustrator) for Sassi Junior.
Waiting for us in our September “back to school” is a journey into the dreamy imagination of Claudio and Diyana, among typewriters, “an old little man with a funny hat, a bush white as a beard and a nice pair of glasses on a big nose”.
After following the adventures of flying books, dreams and oniric creatures, guided by Gloria, the book o’clockers will use the playing cards inspired by the book to do a little exercise in “grammar of fantasy” (quoting Gianni Rodari), and will bring to life with their own hands 3D paper puppets – dragons and monsters, dolls, unicorns, birds and robots.
As always, don’t forget to set your clocks: story time is about to strike again!
PS Participation in the event is free upon registration – with the full name of the accompanying adult.
Book your place HERE
Please ONLY book for the children attending. Please note, children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, whose presence is requested throughout the event.
Claudio Gobbetti (in his own words):I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to do anything other than write. At the moment there are few things that truly make me happy: talking with my partner in the big bed, watching my daughter discovering the world, and inventing stories in complete solitude. Before embarking on a career as a writer I worked for several years as an advertising copywriter in some large international agencies in Milan. It was fun, stimulating, but also very, very restrictive. In 2013 I fall in love (finally) — her name is Diyana and she is an illustrator of extreme talent and sensitivity. It was she who made me discover the beauty of picture books and of literature for children and young people. And so in 2019, after several attempts, I make my debut with what is currently one of my greatest literary successes, Il giardiniere dei sogni, translated into nine languages and published in twenty-one countries (perhaps a few more by now). Luckily, many other successful books have followed this one. In 2021 my first novel for young readers, Max & Sp@ccaOssa, is published. In the same year my first series for early childhood, titled Dolce Lontrino, also debuts. An interest born from the arrival of a wonderful little girl who has practically monopolised every dedication or acknowledgement in every one of my books. As far as I know, my books are currently translated in Albania, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Korea, France, the Philippines, Japan, Greece, Indonesia, England, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela and Vietnam. In Italy I publish with Sassi Editore, Rusconi (Pane e Sale) and Mondadori (Rizzoli). I live in Milan (a little outside, actually) together with Diyana and our daughter Viola, where I write, teach and work as a television author.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:
- Memorial letterario Antonietta Rongone 2020 for Il Giardiniere dei Sogni.
- Selected by Bologna Children’s Book Fair for the international exhibition “A Universe of Stories. Starring: the Book” with the book Il giardiniere dei sogni.
- Nomination for the Premio Bettoni 2021 for best picture book with Il guaio di Alce and Grande Grande.
- Premio Andersen Baia delle Favole 2022 for La Giostra.
Diyana Nikolova was born in Burgas, Bulgaria, in 1983. She graduated in Illustration and Graphic Design at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia. Immediately afterwards she moved to Milan to graduate in Communication Design at the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan. She worked as a graphic designer and art director for several important advertising agencies. In recent years she has dedicated herself full-time to illustration for children. Her dream is to meet the illustrator Oliver Jeffers.