Europa to publish Ferrante children's book

Europa Editions is to publish a children’s book by Elena Ferrante titled The Beach at Night.

It will be translated by Ann Goldstein, who also translated her hit Neopolitan quartet novels, with illustrations by Italian artist Mara Cerri. Europa holds world rights excluding Australia and New Zealand.

In The Beach at Night, Ferrante returns to the tale at the centre of her adult novel The Lost Daughter, but this time the story takes the form of a children’s fable told from the point of view of the lost doll, Celina. Celina is having a terrible night, one full of jealousy for the new kitten, Minù, feelings of abandonment and sadness, misadventures at the hands of the beach attendant, and dark dreams. But she will be happily found by Mati, her child, once the sun rises.

Ferrante was recently longlisted for Man Booker International Prize 2016 for her fourth instalment of the Neopolitan Novels series, The Story of the Lost Child (Europa). The Neopolitan quartet, beginning with My Brilliant Friend and ending with The Story of the Lost Child, is also due to be adapted into an eight-part Italian language TV series.

Europa will publish The Beach at Night in November priced at £7.99.