First Edition Published in 2020 by Amazon Kindle – KDP ASIN: B086WLVW8G Copyright © 2020 Luca M Damiani Book designed by Luca M Damiani All rights reserved.
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Foreword The illustrated children story you are about to read has been created during the first three/four months of the global outbreak of the Coronavirus Covid-19 in 2020. This is a very strange and difficult time; it is a period full of anxiety, of isolation, of distance between families and between friends; it is a moment in time of pain, of fear and worries in terms of emotions, health, finances as well as what the future might bring. But it also a moment where it is very important to keep hope and love at the centre of our thoughts and our days. This book is for my family in Italy and in the UK; it is also for all my friends and their families in Italy, in the UK, in Spain, in France, in China, in Germany, in the US, in Canada, in SouthKorea, in New Zealand, in Switzerland, in Sweden. And this book is also a love letter for all the people and elders that the Coronavirus is taking away from us; it is a tragedy for many communities who are losing a generation - parents and grand-parents and their most vulnerable dear family members. Our hearts break that within this loss, people aren't able to be physically close to those who get sick; no chance for a face to face good-bye, a last hug, a last kiss. But in amongst this time of difficulty there are stories of extraordinary kindness – perhaps like never before we see and hear of us caring ans sharing with and for one another in beautiful ways. I wanted to write a story that tells of this kindness; it is a book for all of us who are and must stay apart, who feel lonely and worried in their isolation. I hope it will shine a ray of hope into your days. We all are in this together, everywhere in the world; even if some are more impacted than others. And so, let's be there for each other in all the different ways we can, no matter how big or small. Yours, Luca P.s. in Italy we call our Grannies 'Nonne' and here I call them 'Nonnas'...
M A R I A and all the
Grannies
of the
World
Written by Luca M. Damiani Illustrated by Luca M. Damiani and Nicola DeBenedittis
In the Universe...
in the World...in Italy...
‌.it was a strange time...
No-one was out and about. All the famous Italian squares, monuments, streets and restaurants were all empty.
No-one could leave their homes
because there was an invisible nasty virus around which, if caught, could make you feel very very sick!
all the
Some
some people
Others run
To stop
people
people
read books,
a marathon,
the virus
everywhere
were working
some did
and others
from
had to stay
on their
a bit of school
just stared
spreading,
at home.
computers,
work,
outside.
Everyone at home, everywhere.
Many people, especially older and frail people,
were lonely and needed help each day
with their food shopping and cooking.
Nonna Maria said to herself, “Hmmm, what can I do to help my older neighbours who are all alone?�
She had an idea. With a face mask and gloves to protect from the virus, she began to cook for them all.
She cooked special pastas
and delicious pizzas
and lovely bread
and amazing cakes!
She carefully packed each meal into parcels, hooked them onto the washing line which stretched across the building, and moving the line like a pulley, hoisted the food parcels across. Some of the neighbours, wearing gloves and masks, also helped out with this “delivery�!
“Thank you so much Nonna Maria!!!” - everyone said.
Before she knew it, she started to get lots of orders: “Nonna Maria, can I please have 2 pizzas?” “ Nonna Maria, can I please have 3 pastas?” “Nonna Maria, can I please have 3 cakes?” “ Nonna Maria, can I please have some bread?”
All this cooking made Nonna Maria tired, but she felt happy! She loved to cook and most of all she loved to help her neighbours who needed her. Until then she had often felt lonely too but now, even though she couldn't see her neighbours, she felt more connected to them than ever before.
Word got out and soon local farmers joined in to help too.
They would carefully deliver lots of lovely fresh produce to her home, and then she would do all the rest.
The story of Nonna Maria's way of helping others began to spread beyond her neighbourhood...
...and other three Nonnas began to do the same!
And then even more Nonnas started doing the same in another town... ...and then another town... ...and then another one... until it happened everywhere in the whole of Italy...
...and then in the whole world!
And although everyone still had to stay as much as possible apart, at home indoors, everyone was coming together as a community, helping each other.
And so it happened that every day,
everyone would step out onto
...and before eating their dinners,
they would sing songs for all the
their balconies at 7.30 in the evening...
Nonnas.
All the Nonnas in the world felt very loved and they all said: “Thank you for everyone helping each other in this strange and difficult time... ...please keep sharing the kindness with one another. Always.� - - The End - -
PS. But what has happened to the invisible virus? Well, unfortunately I am not sure yet as it is still around and we all are still inside our homes. But we have hope that soon it will go away, this difficult time will be over, and what will remain is
M A R I A and all the
Grannies
of the
World
Thanks to Elizabeth Lucy Wells Chiara Camerada Tripp Hudson Matteo Garau Mara Damiani Graziella Contu Maria Gyemant
www.lucadamiani-art.com