Edizioni EL

Edizioni EL is an Italian publishing house specialising in books for children and young adults. It publishes under three principal imprints: Edizioni EL, Einaudi Ragazzi and Emme Edizioni. Its roots lie in the Editoriale Libraria, a printing house founded in 1849 that resumed publishing children's books in 1974 with a reprint of the picture book "La Storia di Pik Badaluk", originally issued in the 1930s. In 1981 the company launched "Un libro in tasca", described as the first Italian pocket-format series for children, followed the same year by "Le Letture", a graded reading series by Italian authors including Bianca Pitzorno, Roberto Piumini, Angela Nanetti and Donatella Ziliotto. By 1984 the children's publishing activity had grown so significant within Editoriale Libraria that it was spun off as Edizioni EL, continuing under the direction of Orietta Fatucci. In 1985 the house published its first Librogame (gamebook). In 1991 Giulio Einaudi Editore of Turin became a shareholder, contributing its own children's lines, Einaudi Ragazzi and Emme Edizioni. Under Einaudi Ragazzi it developed series such as "Storie e Rime" and "La Biblioteca di Gianni Rodari"; under Emme Edizioni it pursued a "literature in colour" programme. From 2003 Gaia Stock joined Orietta Fatucci in editorial direction. The company remains a private Italian publisher based in Trieste, operating primarily in the Italian market.

The history of Edizioni EL begins with the Editoriale Libraria, a printing house founded in 1849. In 1974 the Editoriale Libraria resumed publishing children's books, reprinting the picture book "La Storia di Pik Badaluk", which had originally appeared in the 1930s. In 1981 the company created "Un libro in tasca", described as the first Italian pocket-format series for children. In the same year it launched a second pocket series, "Le Letture", the first to be built around Italian authors and organised as a graded path according to the reading competence of the individual child. Authors writing for the series included Bianca Pitzorno, Roberto Piumini, Angela Nanetti and Donatella Ziliotto. By 1984 the publishing activity had become so significant within the Editoriale Libraria that it was spun off as a separate company, Edizioni EL, which continued to be led by Orietta Fatucci. In 1985 Edizioni EL published its first Librogame (gamebook). In 1991 Giulio Einaudi Editore of Turin became a shareholder in the publishing house, contributing its own children's editorial lines: Einaudi Ragazzi and Emme Edizioni. Under Einaudi Ragazzi, series such as "Storie e Rime" (which grew to more than 600 titles) and "La Biblioteca di Gianni Rodari" (collecting the writer's entire children's output) were created. Under Emme Edizioni, an articulated editorial project centred on "literature in colour" took off. From 2003 Gaia Stock joined Orietta Fatucci in the editorial direction of the house. A 1998 book by Livio Sossi, "EL: metafore d'infanzia: evoluzione della letteratura per ragazzi in Italia attraverso la storia di una casa editrice", traces the evolution of Italian children's literature through the history of the publishing house.

• 2003

  Gaia Stock joins Orietta Fatucci in the editorial direction of the house.

• 1991

  Giulio Einaudi Editore becomes a shareholder, contributing the Einaudi Ragazzi and Emme Edizioni children's lines.

• 1985

  Edizioni EL publishes its first Librogame (gamebook).

• 1984

  The children's publishing activity is spun off as Edizioni EL, led by Orietta Fatucci.

• 1981

  "Un libro in tasca", described as the first Italian pocket-format series for children, is launched; "Le Letture" graded reading series also debuts.

• 1974

  Editoriale Libraria resumes publishing children's books, reprinting "La Storia di Pik Badaluk".

• 1849

  Editoriale Libraria, the printing house that would later give rise to Edizioni EL, is founded.

Italian specialist publisher of children's and young adult literature, with a heritage dating to a 19th-century printing house and a portfolio of distinct imprints for different reading ages and styles.

• "Un libro in tasca"

  First Italian pocket-format series for children, launched in 1981.

• "Le Letture"

  Graded reading series by Italian authors, launched in 1981.

• "Storie e Rime"

  Einaudi Ragazzi series that grew to more than 600 titles.

• "La Biblioteca di Gianni Rodari"

  Einaudi Ragazzi series collecting Gianni Rodari's children's output.

• Librogame

  Gamebook format first published by Edizioni EL in 1985.

1. 1Edizioni EL — Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Edizioni EL — Wikipedia (Italian)it.wikipedia.org
3. 3Edizioni EL — official websiteedizioniel.com