Book title
White as Milk, Red as Blood

 

Author
Alessandro D´Avenia

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Bibliographic information
Publisher: Algoritam

Translation to Croatian: Dubravka Oršić

11/2011.

220 str., oft cover

ISBN 978-953-316-167-9

 

 

Links (adaptations, reviews, full texts etc.)

http://movies247.net/watch/bianca-come-il-latte-rossa-come-il-sangue-9977

http://www.ss-industrijskoobrtnicka-vt.skole.hr/upload/ss-industrijskoobrtnicka-vt/multistatic/42/Alessandro_D_Avenia_-_Bijela_kao_mlijeko,_crvena_kao_krv.pdf

http://readersdoitbetter.blogspot.com/2015/03/bijela-kao-mlijeko-crvena-kao-krv-i-evo.html

 

Theme
The story of a young man Leo, who is in love with Beatrice, is written in the form of a Diary. It shows typical teenage as well as general problems between the young and old, search of identity, and facing death as well as loss.

 

Short summary

Leo is a sixteen year old who plays soccer, he doesn’t like school and doesn’t do well with adults. He is in love with Beatrice, a girl with read hear, he tries to collect the courage to come up to her and tell her how she feels. At the same time, he is figuring out who he is and what kind of a person he is, what really interest him and what he wants to do in life as he confronts his professors too. He finds out that Beatrice is sick which really affects him and his view of himself and the world. Facing the pain, professor Dreamer and his friend Silvia (met Beatrice with him) help him through. Leo and Beatrice connect and spend a lot of time together, learning a lot about life, themselves and start to affect one another. Unfortunately, Beatrice loses the fight and Leo has to face the loss of a loved one. This is a novel about growing up and facing the greatest loss of life – losing a loved one, the novel also consists various links with art – especially with Dante’s creativity inspired by Beatrice.

 

Why is the story appropriate for the targeted groups of RSP readers?

• It is written in simple conversational style which is easily understood and close with students, simultaneously very visual, metaphoric and symbolic.
• It is written from the perspective of a sixteen year old, which in a funny, rebellious but truthful way talks about typical problems of a high schooler (love, school, professor and parents)
• He talks about searching his identity and facing himself, his emotions, fears, and especially about illnesses and death.

 

What are the distinguished readers interests reflected by this book/story?
This is a love story which is not typical because it shows the growth of a young person and facing real life situations. From the perspective of high schoolers, he reevaluates about the existence, society, education, relationships between the young and old, dreams, God and religion as well as death and love.

 

Why is this story motivational for the pupils?
The theme and style make this book encouraging for both girls and boys. It is easy to relate with the main character and his problems, which motivates them to think about their own feelings, helps recognize and accept emotions of other too. Facing with the loss of a loved one is truly painful, it is a life changing moment in everyone’s life, and this book truly motivates to talk about such topics.

 

Is there a historical, political, multi/inter cultural, migrant or similar context recognized in this book/story? 
An educational-cultural context is visible – the students can compare the Italian school system with the Croatian one, they can think about the technological progress and everything that is available to them through education and life, and compare with the creation of live during the pre-renaissance period.

 

Is there a principle of inclusion reflected in this book/story and does it promotes understanding of cultural diversities and heritage? 
Enrolling a student in a regular school system – relationships between student and professor, breaking the stereotypes about teachers, as well as their interests and rebellious side of a student (often present in the emotional aspect of a student).