Italian writer Bianca Pitzorno (born 1942) is one of the most popular children’s authors in the world today. In Russia, she is known mainly for books “Listen to My Heart” and “The French Nanny.” In her new book, Pitzorno tells the story of herself. But books and characters have always occupied almost as important a place in her life as friends and relatives—so Pitzorno’s autobiography is also a story about the best books in the world. The author shares what she values no less than her ability to write— the gift of a reader. Pitzorno grew up in a big family of avid readers, where everything read became a topic for loud Italian conversations and a reason for jokes. The book gives you a chance to experience great stories anew—or for the first time—the “golden stock” of humanity, many of which are little known in Russia.