Choose the right words

Festivaletteratura does not consist solely of one magical week in September. It comprises multiple events and projects carried out throughout the year. One of these is ReadMore, an initiative aimed at children and young adults (aged 12 to 19) designed to encourage daily reading habits in schools. Teachers participating in the project allow their students to read whatever they choose during the first fifteen to twenty minutes of the school day. Many of these students choose translated fiction, often without even realising it.

We all understand the power of reading a book at such a young age, and the influence that a well-told (and well-translated) story can have on our lives. Two translations of the same book are never identical, and opting for the right edition can determine whether a book is cherished or abandoned.

Alongside Laura Cangemi and Chiara Codecà, Francesca Mignemi tells the story of a girl who approached her for the unabridged version of The Secret Garden. She had read a comic adaptation and wanted to give the original text a go, but the edition she attempted to read was dense and unengaging. Mignemi, then a bookseller, suggested a different translation. That move proved to be a game-changer.

In front of the classroom at the Mantua campus of the Politecnico di Milano, Mignemi defines translation as a "cultural infrastructure." Translators are "cultural bridges" who enable young readers to experience entirely different worlds. Laura Cangemi embodies this bridge with her translations from Swedish and English. She stresses that translating children's books requires the exact same care and respect as adult fiction. Simplifying the original texts, she argues, does a fundamental disservice to young minds.

Making literature accessible to younger generations is about providing the right words to unlock the wider world. Through ReadMore and the empathic work of translators, Festivaletteratura ensures these vital cultural bridges remain open all year round.