Gianni Rodari

Gianni Rodari was Italian writer, born in 1920 in Omegna, a small town in northern Italy.

Although he was most famous as children's author, he started writing children's books by accident. Most of the people consider him to be the most important children's author in Italy.

First, he started working as a teacher in elementary school. But in the World War II, he decided to work as a journalist in the newspaper "L'Unita". That was when he wrote his first children's works

After 1950, he dedicated to keep writing children's books that were translated into many foreign languages, but very few in English. His famous works are: "Cipollino", "The book of children's poems", "The Blue Arrow", "Gip in the Television"...

In 1953, he married Maria Teresa Feretti and has his first and only child - daughter Paola - in 1957. The same year he became professional journalist passing the exam.

In 1970, he received the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. This biennial award in literature is the highest recognition to any writer of children's books.

His health declined after one trip to Russia. So, he dies in 1980 upon his return to Rome.