The Strega Giovani Prize was awarded to Ada D’Adamo’s book “Come d’aria”. The winner was announced by Stefano Petrocchi, director of the Bellonci Foundation, at the event that took place at the Mann – National Archaeological Museum of Naples.

The other winners

Ada d’Adamo’s, with 83 out of 503 expressed preferences, was the book with the most votes by a jury of girls and boys between 16 and 18 years old from 91 secondary schools in Italy and abroad. Second and third place went to Rosella Postorino, author of “I limit myself to loving you” (Feltrinelli), with 64 votes, and Carmen Verde, author of “A minimum unhappiness” (Neri Pozza), with 60 votes. The three books receive a valid vote for the nomination of the finalists for the Strega Prize.

The writer

Ada D’Adamo, born in Ortona, in Abruzzo, in 1967, died in April: she had been ill for some time. She had just entered the dozen of the 2023 Strega Prize with her debut novel due out in January, but her health condition prevented her from attending the press conference. Under the ordinance, the novel remained in competition for the 2023 Witch Prize. A performing arts graduate and graduate of the National Academy of Dance, Ada D’Adamo had written several essays on theater and contemporary dance. She was a great expert on children’s books and worked as an editor with Gallucci. In “Come d’aria”, written over many years and awarded with extraordinary and unanimous acclaim, he tells of the birth and early years of his daughter Daria, who suffers from a serious congenital disease.