The incredible fantastic adventures of Mia: Diary of a teenager, keen observer and skillful writer

In the last 20 years in Italy, thanks to the continued effort of qualified authors, children’s literature has radically renewed, becoming an interesting workshop where different techniques and styles are tried out, and where important issues, sometimes even awkward ones, are confronted in an adequate way. In this panorama we find the bestseller of Paola Zannoner, Voglio fare la scrittrice, which was published in 2007. Its protagonist, Mia, is an average teenager who belongs to an average Italian family. This apparent normality is the strength of this character: girls can identify with her. Amusing and interesting, the text is an observation instrument of the modern Italian family: teenagers who criticise adults, family not fitting into traditional stereotypes, and parents who remain eternal children. The text contains pros even on an educational level by means of interesting metalinguistic reflections: practical tips for writing a good narrative text provided directly by a young girl whose dream is to become a famous writer. This strategy is functional: it connects young female readers with the typical constructs and technical terms of writing workshops, intending to begin to develop in readers a focused textual competence.