Pola

When Silvia does not understand the meaning of things, especially things that are bigger than her, she asks a lot of questions and the answers are not always enough for her. So as soon as she finds out she is expecting a sister, she begins to fantasise and idealise her arrival home, constructing a reality of her own. And when one November morning, something tragically unexpected – a meteorite, an explosion – bursts into her fantasies, confusing them, she feels very small. But, thanks to the affection of those who love her, she also discovers herself big for the first time. This story stems from the need to tackle the theme of mourning from a child’s point of view. The author has succeeded in using words to give voice to the feelings, moods and fantasies of a 7-year-old girl who is facing the pain of loss. The reader will be accompanied throughout the story on a journey through the emotions first of anticipation and then of disappointment.The story was written by Laura Bononi in collaboration with the pedagogist Chiara Mancarella, and is completed with her final intervention full of useful suggestions for parents, teachers and children to stimulate dialogue at home as well as at school.