Per mille camicette al giorno

Not long ago, I wrote about how objects often carry more than just their material function — they hold memories, emotions, and the stories they witness. In “Per mille camicette al giorno”, Serena Ballista allowed such an object to tell its own story — the narrative is told from the perspective of a blouse displayed in a shop window that bore witness to one of the darkest moments in New York City history.

In 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Waist Company factory. In just a few minutes, 146 people died, most of them young immigrant women. The blouse witnessed the gradual buildup to inevitable disaster: irresponsible management, unsafe working conditions, and a disregard for workers’ rights. The tragedy exposed the truth of a harsh reality: young immigrant workers inevitably had to fight for their rights in the face of discrimination and exploitation.

Sonia Maria Luce Possentini’s illustrations complement the narrative, creating an atmosphere of heaviness and despair. Gray tones, weary faces, and hazy shading evoke the cold of the factory floors and the weight of the tragedy.

“Per mille camicette al giorno” tells not only of this terrible historical moment, but also of resilience, solidarity, and the voices that refused to be silenced. The book deservedly won the 2025 BolognaRagazzi Award in the Non-Fiction category.