Voltolina & Ludo

In the courtyard of 14 Manzoni Street, three things are guaranteed: pigeons on the ledge, a scrawny ficus tree, and Mrs. Voltolina—eighty-three years old with an unshakeable certainty: her neighbors are aliens disguised as humans. Armed with a red pencil, a notebook, and a fresh carrot (because no real reptilian can resist fresh vegetables), Voltolina is ready for anything. Her daily neighborhood surveillance takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Little Ludo, a sharp nine-year-old with scraped knees and a knack for asking simple questions, and Big Ludo, her fifty-year-old son who never goes anywhere without his special protective umbrella. But when Dr. Giada, the kind neighborhood doctor who spends her days listening to everyone's chaotic worries, begins to sink under a mountain of exhaustion, this eccentric trio decides to launch a new mission. Amidst false intergalactic alarms, internet-diagnosed panics, a suspicious gray cat, and a spectacular avalanche of green confetti, Little Ludo will lead the team to a heartwarming realization: sometimes the quietest mysteries are the ones that matter most, and the best cure is simply learning how to look out for one another. A funny, witty, and touching story perfect for young readers aged 9 to 12 (and any adult who forgets to take a breath).