
Serena Ballista
Writer
Serena Ballista was born in 1985, in Modena, where she currently lives with her partner and their girls. In the house she shares with her family, Serena has “a room of her own” and a small secret garden where her spotted dog lives together with her communist cat, at least five titmice and two four legged ghosts. She is the author of illustrated children’s books whose distinctive feature is to trigger the imagination of boys and girls on social and political topics. Serena Ballista won the Bologna Ragazzi Award 2025 together with Sonia Maria Luce Possentini for “Per mille camicette al giorno” (Orecchio Acerbo), translated in Korean and soon to be published in Spain: it is also part of the 100 Outstanding Picturebooks 2025. She has collaborated with publishers the likes of Carthusia (“Mimosa in fuga”, illustrated by Paola Formica) and Settenove (“Beaver, come Castoro” and “Toni, la Magicicada”, respectively illustrated by Martina Paderni and Anna Forlati). With Settenove she has also published her first children’s book “Una stanza tutta per me” (White Raven 2017), illustrated by Chiara Carrer and translated in Turkish, and her latest book “Woolf! Woolf!”, illustrated by Letizia Iannacone. Both books are are a tribute to Virginia Woolf’s life and views.
Sala 1 - 2° Piano Casa Maoddi
Per il pane e per le rose
Incontro e riflessione sul significato della celebre
rivendicazione “Vogliamo il pane ma anche le rose”
a cura di Serena Ballista
Casa Maoddi Palco Esterno
Per mille camicette al giorno
Sarah Savioli incontra Serena Ballista