Zhero. The Secret of Water
Marco Alverà
The River’s Lawyer
Adventure
A journey through justice and dreams, where every voice matters and every battle can leave a mark.
The hero of this story is a boy who lives in a small village, right next to a river that has always been his secret haven—the place where he feels most free.
But one morning, on his way to school, everything changes: the water is no longer clear, the air smells foul, and the river seems… sick. What happened? And more importantly—can it still be saved? Determined to uncover the truth, the boy embarks on an investigation that pushes him to face silence, fear, and injustice. What begins as a simple quest becomes a gripping adventure full of brave choices, unexpected encounters, and powerful alliances. This is a compelling novel that turns a real-life crisis—environmental pollution—into a story of courage, hope, and collective action. Blending science with justice, dreams with responsibility, it speaks to young readers with a powerful message: protecting nature means protecting the future.
Because every voice counts. And every fight can make a difference.
Target:
10+
Year:
2025
Author
Azzurra D’Agostino
Azzurra D’Agostino was born and lives in a small village in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. She has published several poetry collections—winning the Carducci Prize and the Ciampi Valigie Rosse Prize, and being shortlisted for the Viareggio-Repaci Prize—and writes for the theatre, both for adults and children.
She has published numerous picture books and edited When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a Poet, an anthology of poems written by children during workshops held across Italy. Her novels for young readers include The Garden of Wishes, Ghost Light – Emerging from the Dark Together, Cora in the Straight City, and The Night I Killed Kurt Cobain.
She also created the palmistry-inspired card deck Oracle of Destiny and edited the dreamlike-anthropological book Dreams and Symbols. In addition to writing, she leads poetry workshops for people of all ages.
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