📖 Overview
Elfi moves into an apartment building on Via dei Giardini after leaving her small town with her mother. The building's fifth floor becomes her new home, where she encounters an eclectic group of neighbors.
A mysterious series of events begins to occur in the building, centering around a secret garden on the rooftop. Elfi finds herself drawn into investigating these occurrences while navigating relationships with the other residents.
The story blends elements of urban life, community dynamics, and the supernatural into a tale about belonging and transformation. Its exploration of how spaces shape human connection speaks to both young readers and adults.
👀 Reviews
Limited reviews available for this Italian children's book. The few existing reader comments focus on the book's exploration of housing discrimination and immigration themes through a child's perspective.
Readers appreciated:
- Simple language that makes complex topics accessible to young readers
- Integration of fantasy elements with real social issues
- Diverse character representation
Common criticisms:
- Some felt the social messages were too direct/didactic
- Plot pacing uneven in parts
Available ratings:
Goodreads: 3.86/5 (14 ratings)
Amazon.it: 4.6/5 (11 ratings)
Actual reader review volume appears limited, with most discussion coming from Italian book blogs and educational sites rather than consumer reviews. Social media mentions indicate the book is used in some Italian primary schools to discuss housing rights and discrimination.
[Note: Unable to verify complete accuracy of review summary due to limited publicly available English-language reader feedback for this title]
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Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend A cursed child escapes her fate and enters a magical realm where she must pass trials to join an elite society.
The Building Boy by Ross Montgomery A boy builds a giant grandmother from the remains of his demolished home and embarks on a journey through the city with her.
The Peculiar Tale of the Tentacle Boy by Richard Pickard Marina discovers a boy with tentacles in an abandoned house and helps him find his place in a seaside town while uncovering family secrets.
The Apartment Building Next Door by Sharon G. Flake Five children from different backgrounds form connections across apartment balconies and create their own community within their building.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 Author Francesca Cavallo is best known as the co-creator of the hugely successful "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" series, which has sold over 7 million copies worldwide
📚 "Elfi al quinto piano" (Elves on the Fifth Floor) was originally written in Italian and tells the story of magical creatures living in modern-day Milan
🏆 Before writing children's books, Cavallo founded a youth theater company and won the Premio Scenario award for young directors in Italy
🌍 The book explores themes of diversity, acceptance, and community through the interaction between humans and magical beings in an urban setting
🎨 The story features illustrations by Francesca Carabelli, adding a whimsical visual element to complement the magical narrative