Illustrated by: Simona Mulazzani

Giusi Quarenghi’s playful text and Simona Mulazzani’s wonderful illustrations invite us into a surreal world where yawns can turn into clouds, where trains swim into the sea and teach dolphins how to whistle.

Una volta, un giorno – (Once, One Day) is a dreamy and poetic narrative that can only be grasped from a child’s point of view.

Giusi Quarenghi

The author was born in 1951 in Val Taleggio, and she grew up in a small mountain village. After completing her education she worked in films, cartoons, and on television, and she wrote scripts. After her first book, Ahi, che male – (Oh, This Hurt!), published in 1982, she started writing for children and youth. In 2006, she won the Andersen Award for Best Author, which is one of Italy’s most important children’s books awards.

Simona Mulazzani

The illustrator was born in Milan, and she lives in Pesaro, Italy. She illustrated more than 100 books for children and adults. In 2005, she was awarded a silver medal by the New York Society of Illustrators. In 2016, she received the Andersen Award for Best Illustrator, which is one of Italy’s most important children’s books awards.