OVERVIEW

The course aims to explore how reading - and more generally storytelling - can be not only an effective educational tool, but above all an inexhaustible source of pleasure: the pleasure of opening imaginary windows for endless journeys, to make unexpected encounters, to enrich oneself with extraordinary knowledge, to set sail, as Salman Rushdie would say, "in the great Sea of ​​Stories". We will try to understand which readings influenced the childhood imagination over the 20th century, consulting primary and secondary historical sources, as well as contemporary novels and picture books, and realizing projects of education to reading starting from this historical analysis. We will compare "pleasure" readings and "duty" readings, such as school readings, in order to reconstruct the childhood models in vogue in the different periods considered.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Providing methodological tools and educational and cultural landmarks to transform the obligation of reading in "pleasure of reading."

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Recognize the cross-media languages of contemporary storytelling
• Understand different educational methods and approaches to reading
• Identify the educational potential of extracurricular reading
• Identify the multiple “grammars of fantasy” — the creative use of language in the literary field
• Detect historical changes in storytelling through the analysis of narrative sources from different periods
• Design workshops based on narrative sources

TEACHING METHODS

Classes will be held both in person and remotely, in asynchronous mode.

Teaching activities will involve students actively through guided discussions, analysis of materials and case studies, group work, and an individual mid-course assignment. Attending students will be required to develop research projects consistent with the course learning objectives.

Approximately 10% of the materials used will be in English.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course analyzes transformations in children’s literature and reading practices from a cross-media perspective, with particular attention to the relationships between text, image, orality, and the digital sphere.

Through the comparison of works and narrative sources belonging to different historical and cultural contexts, the course will examine educational models, representations of childhood, and the rewriting and circulation of stories across different languages and media.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

​

The following texts are required for all students, both attending and non-attending:

• A. Antoniazzi, I. Biemmi (2025), Infanzia e stereotipi di genere in TV, Carocci.

• M. Lucenti (ed.) (2026), Raccontare le Differenze. Immaginari dell’Alterità nelle Narrazioni per l’Infanzia, Novalogos, forthcoming.

For attending students, the additional reference bibliography will be provided by the lecturer during the course and will include scientific articles, book chapters, and other supplementary materials.

For non-attending students, the programme must be supplemented with the following texts:

• V. Baeli (2025), Maschi (in)differenti. Declinazioni controstereotipiche della maschilità nel prisma della recente letteratura per l’infanzia, Anicia.

• A. Antoniazzi, M. Lucenti (2019), Tra storia e storie. Rappresentazioni di genere, Edizioni Junior.

Upon request, students may take the examination in English, French, or Spanish, following the course programme.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIANCARLA SOLA (President)

PAOLO LEVRERO

MARIA LUCENTI (President Substitute)

ANNA ANTONIAZZI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes will begin on 21 September 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The examination format differs for attending and non-attending students.

For attending students, assessment will take into account a range of assignments completed during the course: a mid-course test, theoretical-practical exercises, and the development of a group project. The final grade will be determined by the average of the different marks obtained.

Non-attending students will take an oral examination based on the texts listed in the programme. The examination will consist of a critical discussion of the topics and themes addressed in the study materials.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Assessment of the knowledge acquired through the study of scheduled present texts and materials available on aulaweb

• understanding of the topics;
• analytical skills;
• language skills;
• use of specific terminology;
• critical and interpretive skills.   

FURTHER INFORMATION

There are two online meetings (on the Microsoft Teams platform) for non-attending students. These meetings have the purpose of clarifying doubts and answering questions about teaching and/or specific aspects such as assessment, exam and syllabus. Non-attending students can participate in these meetings during the following dates:

- 1 October 2026 at 11 am

- 15 October 2026 at 5 pm

To participate, please send an email to Prof. Lucenti (maria.lucenti@unige.it)

For students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students with disabilities or with SLD are reminded that, in order to request exam accommodations, they must first upload their certification on the University website at servizionline.unige.it (https://servizionline.unige.it) in the “Studenti” section. The documentation will be verified by the University’s Support Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and SLD (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

Afterwards, and with sufficient notice (at least 10 days) before the exam date, students must send an email to the professor responsible for the exam. The email should also be copied (cc) to both the School's Inclusion Coordinator for students with disabilities and SLD (Prof. Laura Traverso: laura.traverso@unige.it, and to the above-mentioned Support Services by using one of the following addresses:

- disabili@unige.it
- dsa@unige.it
- inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it

The email must include the following information:
- the name of the course
- the exam date
- the student’s full name and student ID number
- the requested compensatory tools and/or dispensatory measures deemed appropriate

The Coordinator (Prof. Laura Traverso) will confirm to the professor that the student is eligible to request exam accommodations and that these accommodations must be discussed and agreed upon with the professor. The professor will then respond, indicating whether the requested accommodations can be applied.

Requests must be sent at least 10 days before the exam date to allow the professor sufficient time to review them. Specifically, if the student wishes to use concept maps during the exam (which must be significantly more concise than those used for study purposes), failure to respect the deadline may result in insufficient time for any revisions the professor might require.

For more information regarding the request of services and accommodations, please consult the document: Guidelines for requesting services, compensatory tools and/or dispensatory measures, and specific aids.