40 coats and a button
by Ivan Sciapeconi
A tender and moving story of hope inspired by a real episode of World War II.
Italy, summer 1942. Forty Jewish children arrive at Nonantola station, near Modena. They have escaped from Nazi Germany and, now, settled in a villa on the outskirts of town, they feel that the worst is over. Among them is Natan, who initially views all this attention with suspicion. The images of his father being dragged out of the house in the middle of the night, of his mother and his little brother saying goodbye, still burn in his memory.
However, in Villa Emma there are no yellow stars on coats, no ghettos, no night raids. This seems to be a whole new world. A world in which farmers bring them food, lumberjacks make their beds and everyone can contribute with their work. Until the Nazi troops begin to camp in Nonantola and for the boys the time comes to organize a new escape. However, this time they are not alone, this time they have an entire town fighting for them.
Ivan Sciapeconi is a primary school teacher in Modena. He has published fiction books for children (Zezè and Cocoricò, A Red Hearted December, How to Turn the World Upside Down) and school texts. This is the first story about him.
Source: https://algunoslibrosbuenos.com/40-abrigos-y-un-boton
