Candy from the Sky

War takes centre stage in this brief yet powerful novel by Marta Palazzesi. It is seen through the eyes of two boys, whose paths cross on one of Milan’s most terrible nights. In the hours between 12 and 13 August 1943, the city is devastated by a massive Allied bombing raid. Sirens wail their warning of the incoming aircraft. Andrea and his family have fled that night to the countryside in search of safety. But Andrea decides to go back, for he has to look for Guerrino, his grandfather’s beloved dog, no matter the danger. Before the bombs begin to fall “like candy from the sky”, he meets Antonio, a streetwise boy who survives by trading on the black market. He has no family, and stealing is the only way he knows to survive. Though they come from very different worlds, Andrea and Antonio must rely on each other to make it through that infernal night. With illustrations by Giuseppe Palumbo, the novel captures both the horrors of war and the unexpected beauty that life can offer, even amidst death and destruction. As the bombs fall, the two boys find trust, courage, and a friendship that will change their lives forever.

Reading age: from 12 years

‘Caramelle dal cielo’ 
Marta Palazzesi, illustrations by Giuseppe Palumbo
Gallucci, 2021