Les Enfants de Mussolini : littérature, livres, lectures d'enfance et de jeunesse sous le fascisme : de la Grande Guerre à la chute du régime [Mussolini's Children: literature, books, childhood and teenage years' readings under Fascism: from the Great War to the fall of the regime] by Mariella Colin (review)

Mariella Colin has been engaged for a long time in fundamental work on children's books and reading in Italy: after devoting a first book, L'Age d'or de la littérature d'enfance et de jeunesse italienne. Des origines au fascisme, to the "Golden Age" of Italian literature for children, she now addresses the "Black Age": from the end of the Great War to the fall of the fascist regime. Through a careful study of the production written for young Italians—School textbooks as well as readings for enjoyment and the press—the analysis of this dark hour for freedom of expression is captivating once again; the author takes special care in putting into perspective the culture, social and historical events in which these productions took place, day-to-day. The demonstration develops on four main periods, which are as many steps into the progressive appropriation by the fascist ideology, and then by the fascist regime, of the training of Italian youth.

Colin begins her study with World War I, a period where the Italian national identity radicalized, together with the desire to involve children into the great emerging patriotic movement. Before Italy entered the war in 1915, the productions for young people, especially the press, were often in a humorous style: they did not hesitate to caricature the belligerents, for example in Il Corriere dei Piccoli. The tone changed with the Italian soldiers going up to the front: the war wormed its way into ABC picture books for younger children; at the same time, stories for older children did not hesitate to play with anguish and emotions through the figure of children-heroes young children could identify with. The end of the conflict caused a series of testimonies by martyr soldiers of the nation and fictions based on reality, which enabled the constitution of a founding mythology of fascism.

This nationalist rhetoric does not however rule out the emergence of a quality literature, drawing from symbolist or foreign models, as evidenced by The Chess set in the mirror by Massimo Bontempelli (2007), inspired by Alice in Wonderland. After the march on Rome in 1922, fascism takes power and is deeply aware of the necessity to train young Italians. However, the reform of public education, conceived by the idealist philosopher Giovanni Gentile and implemented by Giuseppe Lombardo Radice from 1923 onwards for primary school, is undeniably a moment of educational and pedagogical innovation. Teaching as well as literary works offered to young people stimulate freedom of speech and appeal to imagination; reading is fostered by the creation of school libraries and children literature serves as a material for teaching. But fascist violence wins out, as evinced by the adventures of a Pinocchio fascista armed with a cudgel and the castor oil dear to squadristi, while the glorification of war heroism goes on through books such as Piccolo Alpino, whose success continues unabated since it is constantly republished from 1926 until 1989.

From the 1930s onwards, the regime retains its influence over the youth through various devices. One of the most striking is the creation of the Opera nazionale Balilla, an organization which becomes more and more important and is dedicated to the "Making of the new Italians." Teaching also has to be part of what is conceived as a "regeneration" of the people: improved schooling and combating illiteracy are one of the successful battles of the regime. However, even if school libraries and reading continue...