The Island Of Memories

Alva lives on an island. A very special island, where - every morning - the memories of the people who live in the city across the shore land: the first kiss, that cherry pie that made Sundays unique, a drop of rain on the tip of your nose... Alva takes care of them all. He dusts them off, polishes them so that they don’t fade, holds them close to him imagining that distant world from which they come, and the people to whom they belong. That is, at least until, one day, the memories start to fade and then stop coming altogether. What could have happened? To find out, he sets out for the city across the sea. “The Island of Memories” is an illustrated book with the sensitive and emotive writing of Alexandra Helming and unmistakable illustrations by Valeria Docampo. Poetic and tender, it reflects on the importance of preserving memories, especially those linked to the simple but powerful joys of life, passing them on so that they are never lost. The main character, Alva (part child and part fairy), is also accompanied by various inhabitants of the city who, encounter after encounter, through a kind of growth process, get back in touch with their deepest selves. A book for all ages that reminds us how important it is not to sacrifice oneself, one's history and memories in favour of the hustle and bustle of everyday life and how, instead, it is increasingly necessary to put emotions back at the centre of one's life.  

L'isola dei ricordi
by Alexandra Helmig with illustrations by Valeria Docampo
Terre di Mezzo, 2024