La mia notte sulla luna
(My night on the moon) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
July 1969, like every year, little Annuccia moves with her family (sister, brother, parents, grandmother and aunts and uncles) to the country cottage, where time seems to have stopped. She is happy with the idea of enjoying the fresh air, playing outdoors and spending her evenings watching the stars and the moon. Especially the moon, the protagonist of that incredible summer. July 20, the night of the astronauts’ landing on the Earth’s satellite, is approaching and everyone is excited, especially Michele, Annuccia’s older brother. He knows all about Apollo 11 and has even built a model of the spaceship. But there is no electricity in the countryside yet, so how will they be able to witness the moon landing? [Publisher’s website]
Edited by: Centro MeTRa - Università di Bologna (Italy)
Comment:
“An emotionally engaging novel that makes the reader relive one of the most exciting media moments in human history. The moon landing is intertwined with the events of a family like many others, amidst dreams, hopes and dramas, in a historical period when the war was behind us but whose aftermath could still be perceived. The story leads children to discover a not too distant time when they listened to the Zecchino songs with the record player, but men conquered space dreaming of a world without borders. Through the qr codes on the pages of the book, it is possible to view the original videos of the Apollo 11 launch, the journey, the landing, and the first steps on the moon. Links to the videos and other original footage can also be found on the Facebook page of the book Quella notte di luglio 1969. Material that filled the newspapers of the time, since the moon landing was considered the greatest adventure of the century.” [Publisher’s website] The protagonist’s point of view offers a fresh and spontaneous glimpse of an important historical event, but also of the events of a united and loving family, respectful of all its members. Thanks to the alternation of Annuccia’s first-person voice and a third-person narration, we see the representation of an Italy projected towards progress and the future, but where old problems still persist, such as the exploitation of child labour.