Bancarellino Prize

The Bancarellino Prize: Children's Literature in Pontremoli

The Bancarellino Prize is one of Italy's longest-running and most original awards dedicated to children's and young adult fiction. Established in 1957 and first awarded in 1958, it takes place in Pontremoli, in the heart of the Lunigiana region at the northern tip of Tuscany, in the province of Massa-Carrara. The Municipality of Pontremoli, honored with the title of 'City of the Book' for its ancient tradition of traveling booksellers, hosts this cultural event every year, promoted by the Città del Libro Foundation in collaboration with the local booksellers' union.

A Jury of Young Readers

What makes the Bancarellino a unique case in the landscape of Italian literary awards is its jury: the winner is chosen by middle school students. Every year, through the Reading Project, about twenty titles are distributed to roughly two hundred schools across Italy. Students read, discuss, and select five finalists; then, on the final day, the students gathered in Pontremoli cast the deciding vote. The prize thus becomes a concrete tool for promoting reading among the new generation.

The Awards Day

The highlight takes place in Piazza della Repubblica, in the medieval historic center of Pontremoli, where hundreds of students from all over the country gather to meet the finalist authors in person, engage with them on stage, and witness the announcement of the winner. It is a lively morning filled with banners, chants, and cheering for the competing titles, transforming the square into a grand celebration of books.

Recent Winners

In 2026, the 69th edition crowned Chiara Cacco for Io so tutto di te (Gallucci Editore), a thriller for teenagers about the risks of digital culture, which received 318 votes. The previous year, in 2025, the victory went to Paola Barbato for Horror game (Piemme). Other 2026 finalists included Teo Benedetti, Luca Centi, Daniela Palumbo, and Annalisa Strada.

Pontremoli, City of the Book

The event is part of a broader system of Pontremoli awards revolving around the Città del Libro Foundation, which also includes the famous Bancarella Prize. For visitors, the Bancarellino is an excellent opportunity to discover Pontremoli, a stone village overlooking the Magra and Verde streams, with its Piagnaro Castle, baroque churches, and the authentic atmosphere of the Tuscan Lunigiana.