Maria Gianola is an Italian author and illustrator. She was born and lives in Venice, where she studied visual arts. She won the first prize for illustrations at the age of 8, since then she has never stopped drawing. In 2016 she won the prestigious Arpino prize and in 2022 she was shortlisted for the prestigious Italian prize “Nati per leggere”.
She has been published by some of the most important Italian publishers. Her books are translated into many languages, including Complex and Simplified Chinese, English, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Vietnamese.
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David, Goodall’s Chimpanzee
In 1960, in Gombe, Tanzania, I was the first to trust Jane. I wasn’t afraid of her at all. To be honest, I really liked her. And so, day after day, I got closer to her, we formed a pure friendship, and I introduced her to the others of my group, friends and family. I never regretted it, quite the…
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Once, the Animals
An irresistible celebration of storytelling, full of clever twists, unexpected guests, and the joyful message that there’s always room for everyone. Once upon a time, all the animals gather, eager to embark on a story—until one brave voice interrupts: “Wait… all the animals?”, someone asks. Who truly deserves a place in the narrative: the charming woodland creatures, the hardworking farm…
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Sometimes Words
Words can hurt—but they can also heal. A powerful picture book that helps children discover the magic of kindness, one sentence at a time. Words can sometimes isolate us, but they also have the power to build bridges. They may act as walls, yet they can also be open doors. While words can hurt like arrows, they can also illuminate…
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Oops! The Importance of Making Mistakes (3rd title: Scientific Discoveries)
A 4-books series to learn about the greatest human achievements… which actually happened because of a mistake someone made! Human history is filled with remarkable discoveries that often arise from unexpected circumstances. These surprises spark wonder and have allowed humanity to evolve, grow, travel, and invent over the centuries. Many times, what we discover is not what we were initially…
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Martina, Lorenz’s Goose
It’s 1935 in Vienna, Austria: young Konrad sits in front of a newly hatched egg. The tiny chick looks at him and doesn’t hesitate—it identifies him as its mother and starts following him everywhere. This is the true story of Martina the little goose, and who better than her to tell it? She will introduce us to the natural phenomenon…
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Marion, Newton’s Kitten
What comes to mind when we talk about Isaac Newton? Does the story of the apple falling on his head while he was sitting under an apple tree ring a bell? That little incident—besides giving him a nasty bump!—led to the development of one of the most revolutionary theories in modern science: the law of universal gravitation. The brilliant British…
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All (But Really All) the Children in the World
A heartfelt tribute to childhood, celebrating the right to play, explore, and grow freely. All (But Really All) Children in the World by Maria Gianola is an hymn to the natural rights of children, along with the fundamental rights approved in 1989 by the United Nations Convention. Inspired by the Decalogue of Natural Rights by Italian educator Gianfranco Zavalloni, this beautifully…
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Oops! The Importance of Making Mistakes (2nd title: Geographical Discoveries)
A 4-books series to learn about the greatest human achievements… which actually happened because of a mistake someone made! Human history is filled with remarkable discoveries that often arise from unexpected circumstances. These surprises spark wonder and have allowed humanity to evolve, grow, travel, and invent over the centuries. Many times, what we discover is not what we were initially…
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A Shooting Star at Christmas
Once upon a time there was a shooting star, the last shooting star left in the sky after the summer, who was afraid to dive into the sky. Once upon a time there was a cloud, the highest, that was stuck on the top of a mountain. Once upon a time there was a black and white dog, who didn’t…
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Oops! The Importance of Making Mistakes (1st title: Inventions)
A 4-books series to learn about the greatest human achievements… which actually happened because of a mistake someone made! Human history is filled with remarkable discoveries that often arise from unexpected circumstances. These surprises spark wonder and have allowed humanity to evolve, grow, travel, and invent over the centuries. Many times, what we discover is not what we were initially…
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Little Footprints
The inhabitants of the clearing are very different from one another: in What a hurry! Koala spends all his time relaxing, while Weasel and Raccoon run back and forth the whole day. In You are too much! Elephant doesn’t fit anywhere, he is too big, too high, too slow… definitively, he is too much. Boar is confused, he can’t understand why…
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The Incredible Secret Diaries
Five great historical characters – Leonardo Da Vinci, W.A. Mozart, Raffaello, Dante Alighieri, Frida Kahlo – open up the pages of their hilarious secret diaries: their personal and artistic stories are narrated with a lot of humour, so that we can discover their indisputable genius, together with their little idiosyncrasies and the funny aspects of their character that make us realize how they were after all just men…
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Tic, Toc, Pum
Every child learns to talk. But when does he learn to listen? Plic ploc! The sound of rain. Fruuushhh! The wind blowing through the branches. Pum pum pum! The beating of mother’s heart. Shhh! Around you, when you are silent, everything speaks to you. Stop and listen. A tender and funny book about the sounds that mark our day. To…
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I’ll Come Back to You
Separation is a normal rite of passage for toddlers. It’s common at school or daycare drop-off, but can occur any time a child has to separate from their parent or caregiver. Join the journey of our little one and his Mama as they learn to deal with being away from each other, through positive healthy attachment. A sweet book that…
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Grandparents’ Hill
Tim and Myriam love spending weekends and vacations at their grandparents’, in their little house nestled atop a spectacular hill. Together they have great little adventures that mark the passage of the seasons and reveal the wonder of nature and the marvel of life. Autumn. A disappearing turtle, the fear of loss, the natural rhythm of life slowing down in…
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Wolf & Milo
Wolf and Milo are best friends, the kind with a capital F. Sometimes, however, it happens that they don’t fully understand each other, that they don’t feel included. Never mind! When there is true friendship, even the most difficult challenges can be overcome with a big smile. Together, Wolf and Milo will learn that there is always room for a…
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20 Grams of Kindness
Squirrel is angry: seven nuts and three acorns have disappeared from his burrow. Was it Piglet? Piglet is angry too because someone trampled on his garden and ruined his carrots. Was it Mouse again? Even Mouse and Wolf look angry… what’s happening to everyone today? Oh no, Bear is also leaving! Where is he going? He’s just found something very…
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Harriet, Darwin’s Tortoise
Harriet became famous as the tortoise that inspired the well-known Charles Darwin’s theory about the origin of species. It seems that Harriet and Mr. Darwin became inseparable friends since they first met in Galápagos islands, an archipelago where the nature is breathtaking. Let’s discover this incredible story from the real voice whom experienced everything: the tortoise Harriet in itself! We…
