The Tightrope Wanderer

In this whimsical story, a tightrope walker must balance more than just his body as he faces changes that threaten his way of life.

Once, there was a tightrope walker. For forty years, he traveled the world in wind-colored clothing and a bright red bandana, never staying in one town for more than a day. At each new place, he would pluck a single strand of his impossibly long hair and walk across it, with balance, courage, faith, and grace. As he began, he would recall a wise saying he had once heard: "The world is a very narrow bridge. The secret is not to be afraid."

As the years went on, he noticed his hair growing thinner and thinner. He sought every remedy, but nothing worked to replace the many hairs he had pulled out. The more he performed, the fewer there were, until not one remained and the tightrope walker had to find a whole new way to touch the sky.

"Timeless quality befitting the enduring wisdom of its lessons." --Foreword, Starred Review

"Lyrical language and quiet reflections on nature and fate are what power this tale." --Kirkus Reviews

"Quietly profound and visually arresting, this is destined to become an intergenerational selection." --School Library Journal

Federica Ortolan is a Venetian author of illustrated books for children and adults. After studying Conservation of Cultural Heritage, she graduated in Primary Education Sciences, studying the cognitive processing of children in relation to creative stimuli. Alongside her writing, she promotes children's and adolescent literature, and organizes training courses for adults as well. Some of her books have won national awards and have been translated into other languages. Among her publications: The Trace (illustrated by Manuela Simoncelli, We Will Be Trees), The Filiambulante (illustrated by Marco Leoni, Sabir), In What a State! (illustrated by Roberto Irace, Sabir), Seedless (illustrated by Richolly Rosazza, Lavieri), The Chest of Drawers (Dad's) (illustrated by Ilaria Zanellato, Lavieri), For All the Rains! (illustrated by Elena Ceccato, Carthusia), The Travelling Window (illustrated by Deianira D'Antoni, Sabir), Bruno's Bicycle (illustrated by Beatrice Xompero, Tandem series, Il Castoro). She lives in the Veneto region of Italy.

Marco Leoni is an Italian artist and illustrator. He moved to Florence to attend the Academy of Fine Arts, majoring in engraving and chalcography, which he did not complete to attend a private school of illustration and animation. Originally from the Marche region, he has been living in Bologna for a few years and alternates between freelance work as an illustrator for private clients and visual development for animated short films. He also opened "Naso di Bruco" with other colleagues, a small yellow coworking space under the porticoes in the center of Bologna, where he holds short courses and illustration workshops as a teacher. He has worked as an illustrator and set designer for stop motion short films, a narrator of role-playing games for children and young people, and he occasionally holds courses as a drawing teacher. The Tightrope Wanderer was his debut picture book, and since then he has worked with other publishers such as Disney and Kite. He lives in Bologna, Italy.