What is the best thing that I love about my work? I love books and children very much, but what fills my heart is seeing a dreaming child, astonished, passionate about a book that I read to him.

What is my idea of perfect happiness? The freedom to be myself and to be accepted as I am.

What is my greatest fear? My biggest fear is illness, I am terrified that a major illness may strike me or whom I love. After all, if we are healthy, we really have everything.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? Maybe asking too much to myself. I should learn to slow down a bit more.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? The people I admire the most are bookmakers who, every day, try to deliver to the world their passion for books! I love the fact they set up all sorts of initiatives in order to promote reading.

What is my greatest extravagance? Well maybe the biggest extravagance is having at home more than 1500 books for kids! Kids are practically submerged by books. I have stacks of books in every room and of course I will never stop buying them.

On what occasion would I lie? To avoid hurting someone

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? When I have to deal with parents who do not believe in the importance of reading. We should buy books just as well as we buy food, clothes and toys. Books are food for the minds of our children. In Italy still too many parents think books are a waste of money and it’s a shame.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Hard question! Surely when I see children happy to read, especially those who have difficulties in reading. But I am also happy when children tell other children about a book we read together, or when one of them hugs me, or draws a picture for me. And last but not least, if I am able to communicate my passion to little readers, I feel overjoyed.

This year I was able to open a bookcrossing area, Librotropoliss, dedicated only to the children of Cornaredo (the town where I live) with the sponsorship of the municipal library and the Cornared Auser association. I also received a lot of support from many parents who were curious about the news. I am aware of the difficulties of this project, but I chosed to create something in an unattractive area, where there is not a lot going on for children, because I strongly believe in the power of creating a community where the book is at the center of the interest.

Where would I most like to live? I was born and raised in Milan for 25 years, then I moved to Trecate and 10 years ago I came to Cornaredo. I do not have a favorite place to live in, I feel a citizen of the world. I can adapt anywhere, although Milan is of course still in my heart. When I go to Milan I get that home feeling!.

What is my most treasured possession? A strong imagination.

What is my most marked characteristic? I am a willfull person, I do not give up easily and I never loose hope, I am not a person who is knocked down or dwindles. Although I always stay with my feet on the ground I can always see the positive side of things.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? It may seem trivial but it is home, surrounded by all my children’s books.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city? Roadhouse of Cornaredo. It is definitely the place where I take refuge most often. I love eating meat and I find that at Roadhouse food is great.

Lev Tolstoy, Emily Bronte, Louisa May Alcott, Margaret Mitchell, Wulf Dorn, Jo Nesbo, Roald Dahl, Roddy Doyle just to name a few. Annalisa Strada, Fabrizio Silei, Anna Vivarelli, Lorenza Farina, Stefano Bordiglioni, Davide Calì, Valentina Mai, Isabella Paglia, Mirco Maselli, Marinella Barigazzi, just to name a few Italians but really there are a lot more. Each author brings me to a wonderful world, every book gives me a piece of his world so it’s really impossible for me to pick just one

You only die once. What music would I listen on my last day? “I live for her” by Andrea Boccelli. It’s a song I love very much. Boccelli dedicates it to music but in reality it could be devoted to every great passion and I live with passion.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? I have so many! The last, in chronological order, to which I’m fond of is Will Trent, a character born from the pen of Karin Slaughter. He is a dyslexic policeman, abandoned as a small victim of ill-treatment, a man who, despite his difficult past, works to re-establish justice.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? I think heroes are all those publishers, authors and illustrators who work on difficult themes, for example, books that are sometimes censored or dealing with complex and delicate topics such as the Shoah, wars, diversity, Racism or immigration. There! For me they are the real heroes, the people who try to break down the walls with their work.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?  “Scent of a woman” with Al Pacino. An unforgettable movie.

What role plays art in my life and work? My dad is always passionate about art, so art has always been part of my life. In children’s books, I find art in the illustrations of many Italian illustrators, really exceptional. I try to always choose books with beautiful illustrations so that children can get used to beauty from early age.

My blog www.figlimoderni.it  or social network

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What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? I believe we must always feed our passion, always love what we do, develop more and more projects and continue to pass on our passion to others. Passion is not static, it is something to feed every day.