Grandma Ada’s polka-dot pillow is no ordinary pillow: it’s magic! Whenever her grandchildren fall asleep on it, they discover something special about themselves and the world around them. Through adventurous dreams, they learn that the things that make them different are not flaws, but unique qualities that make them even more special – just like the polka dots on the pillow.

The A Polka-Dot Pillow series features illustrated stories written in UPPERCASE LETTERS, designed for young readers and celebrating the value of diversity. The colourful illustrated stories encourage children to see the beauty in differences, just as Grandma Ada’s magical pillow does, and are followed by engaging activities at the end of each book.

Key features

Texts in uppercase letters

Colourful illustrations

Fun activities and games at the end of the story

LEO AND THE CASTLE OF THE THREE WIZARDS

Leo and the castle of the three wizards is a story about recognising and managing emotions and energy, while celebrating every way of being. It is based on the use of 1.000 words.

The Story
Leo is a lively and absent-minded boy with ADHD. His mind is full of ideas, curiosity and energy, which can sometimes seem difficult to manage, but are also a great strength. When evening comes, however, he grows quiet and begins to feel that something is wrong with him. During a long sleep on Grandma Ada’s polka-dot pillow, he embarks on wonderful adventures with three very special wizards. When he wakes up, everything feels a little easier—and a little more magical.

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Leaf through some pages of this book that have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product:

CORA IN THE STRAIGHT CITY

Cora in the Straight City is a book designed for children who are beginning to read independently. It is based on the use of 1,000 words.

The Story
Cora is lively, messy and full of energy. When Grandma Ada’s magic pillow takes her to Straight City, where everything has to be precise and follow the rules, she discovers that her different way of moving and thinking can become a talent capable of bringing joy to everyone.

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Leaf through some pages of this book that have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product:

A PHOTO FOR BRETT

A Photo for Brett is a story that celebrates differences and teaches us that our flaws can actually be strengths. It is based on the use of 1,000 words.

The Story
Brett has a new haircut, but she does not like it at all and just wants to hide. In a dream, surrounded by caring friends, funny wigs and a dino-camera, she discovers a photo in which she looks truly happy. When she wakes up, she realises that her new haircut is not a disaster after all, but simply a part of who she is.

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Leaf through some pages of this book that have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product:

FEDE AND THE FORGOTTEN THINGS

Fede and the Forgotten Things is a heart-warming story teaching that the things we love remain special, even when they change. It is based on the use of 2,000-words.

The Story
Fede has a beloved teddy bear called Kiko, a faithful friend with whom every day brings a new adventure. One day, however, Kiko gets torn, and Fede decides to put him aside and forget about him, because even if Grandma Ada can sew him back together, he will never be quite the same again.

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MILO IN THE LAND OF DUVETS

Milo in the Land of Duvets is a story teaching children never to stop doing what they love and to treasure every dream with care. It is based on the use of 1,000-word.

The Story
Milo loves drawing and dreams of becoming an artist. Almost no one, however, believes in him. So Milo starts to think he should give up his dream… until the polka-dot pillow takes him to the Land of Duvets, a place where the Sleep King has taken everyone’s dreams away.

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Leaf through some pages of this book that have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation of the product:

THE AUTHORS

Alessandro Gatti studied philosophy and worked as an editor for the magazine Maltese Narrazioni. He is now an author of books for children and young adults. His most recent works include Assassinio sull’Occident Express (Il Battello a Vapore), Maud West (Gallucci) and Zio Cringe (Il Battello a Vapore).

Azzurra D’Agostino has published several poetry collections, picture books, novels for young readers, a translation of a radio play about Hölderlin, books exploring dreams and folklore, and an oracle card deck inspired by palmistry. She has also edited the poetry sections of school anthologies.

Andrea Tullio Canobbio is an author of stories for children and young adults and taught at university for many years. More recently, he has worked with MULTI, the Multimedia Museum of the Italian Language, and MUNDI, the National Museum of the Italian Language.

Destiny Igiewe has always lived in southern Lazio and in recent years has become involved in children’s and young adult publishing. In 2023, she took part in the sixth edition of A caccia di storie. She is currently working on her first novel and dreams of writing scripts for TV series and comics.

Lara Pollero is an editor and author of books for children and young adults. She has worked in publishing for over twenty years, beginning her career as an editorial assistant at BUR and later collaborating with some of Italy’s leading publishing houses as an editor and translator.

Rachele Marchegiani studied at Raul Montanari’s writing school and works as a writer and ghostwriter. She runs reading and creative writing workshops in schools and, through her volunteer project Una valigia di storie, visits children’s hospitals to read stories to young patients.

Carolina D’Angelo is an author of books for children and young adults. She holds a degree in English Literature and later graduated in Education Sciences from the University of Bologna.