author/illustrator: Lucas Tortolini, Felicita Sala
ages: 3+
48 pages
24 x 28.4 cm
hardcover
French
Comme des géants (Canada)
Rights sold: Italian, French, Complex Chinese, English (North America), German, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil), Polish, Russian, Croatian, Spanish (LatAm)
My Dog and I
A delightfully imaginative story of a girl who’s always wanted a dog, who shows us that love knows no bounds.
Out for a walk one day, a girl stumbles upon a lost “dog.” Having always wanted a dog of her own, she brings the “little” creature home and takes care of it in secret from her parents. Proud of her new “dog,” she plays with it, feeds it, and even takes it around town — much to the chagrin of the townspeople and other kids who’ve been mean to her in the past.
But one day, when her “little” friend gets the urge to chase something and ends up wandering off, she finds herself with too much sadness to bear. Will she ever find her “dog” again?
- Luca Tortolini received the Andersen Award "Miglior Scritore" 2024 and the 2025 Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi
- 2024 D-Pictus Outstanding Picture books
- Felicita Sala received the 2020 Andersen award for the best illustrator (Italy)
“A furry friendship certain to be the envy of young readers everywhere! … a charmer of a book, its warm predator/prey relationship much in the same vein as Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Sala, serving both as artist and translator for this tale originally written in Italian by Tortolini, drenches the book in jewel tones that exude a singular comfort.” — Kirkus Reviews
"This amusing, comforting picture book is a pleasure to read aloud. The beautifully phrased text gives both kids and adults reasons to smile. Both the writer and illustrator live in Italy, and their style, wit, and approach to storytelling will have lots of appeal for a wide range of children." — Booklist USA, starred review
"In all its simplicity, this is a brilliant picture book that is a joy to read aloud." - De Standaard, Flanders
THE AUTHORS
Luca Tortolini was born in 1980 and lives in Macerata, Italy. He is a writer and screenwriter. He studied at the DAMS Roma Tre. Besides writing, he is involved in education and the promotion of reading. He has published books with Orecchio Acerbo, éditions du Rouergue, éditions Notari, éditions Cambourakis etc. His book about François Truffaut, Il bambino che amava il cinema, by Kite, illustrated by Victoria Semykina, received the 2021 Andersen Award for the Best Illustrated Book. He also won the Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi in 2025, (8-10 years old category) for Un desiderio al giorno (Mondadori), illustrated by Giulia Vetri.
Felicita Sala was born in Rome but grew up in Perth. She graduated with Honours in Philosophy and is a selftaught illustrator. She has received several awards: 10 best picture books of 2018 by the New York Times (She Made a Monster), 2020: Premio Andersen as best illustrator in Italy. Her picture book Lunch at Pomegranate Street has been translated in over 10 languages.