Dorabella
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A bedtime story by Fausta Fontana

Dorabella

A Tale of Wonder, Magic, and LoveFor dreamers of every age

In the village of Meredee, once every four years, everyone goes looking for the most beautiful thing in the world. This time, a little old woman with a basket goes looking too.

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Just a few pages

How it begins

A little of the story, the way it reads in the book. Only a little.

Once upon a time there was a village, set among hills that climbed up to the mountains. There was a river, and a little stream, and far away, at the very bottom of everything, the sea.

The woods were full of animals. The meadows were full of flowers. And the sky was full of birds.

1
The village of Meredee: bright little houses with red roofs, a church tower, a waterfall and snowy purple mountains behind

Every four years, Meredee held a contest, and people came from all the villages around to see it.

The rules were short. In a single day, from dawn to dark, bring one thing so beautiful, so very beautiful, that nothing could be more beautiful.

Whoever won became rich. Very rich.

2
A crowd of smiling faces under garlands of pink flowers and two bluebirds

Among the contestants was a little old woman. Everyone remembered her the same way: bent, with white hair and a very sweet voice.

Her name was Dorabella.

3
Dorabella, a small old woman with white hair, a red shawl, a dark apron with tiny flowers, a walking stick and a basket, in the woods with a deer, a rabbit and a bluebird

She walked the woods all day and found nothing. Not one thing worthy of the contest.

The sun began to set. She sat down on a low rock and, lost in thought, poked at the grass with her stick. You never know.

4
Dorabella at sunset, holding a single red flower, with bluebirds overhead and the sun going down behind the pines

And that is where we stop for tonight. The rest is in the book. Read it slowly, out loud, to someone you love.

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Watch

Fifty seconds in Meredee

The pictures, a little music, and no ending. Sound on.

Share it with someone who still believes in stories.

Who wrote it

Fausta Fontana

Fausta Fontana, seated on a sofa in a pale tweed jacket, smiling
Fausta

She wrote this story for her little boy, to be read at bedtime.

Fausta Fontana is a storyteller at heart. She has always carried with her a deep love of culture, history, art and folklore, and she poured those things into her stories with grace and wisdom.

A reader all her life, Fausta believes that a story can inspire, transform, and reveal the deepest truths of our existence. Dorabella is the proof of her faith in beauty, in tenacity, and in the extraordinary power of love.

With her words, Fausta leaves a gift of enchantment, one that will keep bringing joy, and stirring the imagination, to readers of every age. Now it is yours to read to someone, too.

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Bring Dorabella home

The English edition is out now in hardcover, paperback and eBook.

Amazon

Hardcover and paperback, shipped by Amazon.com, plus the Kindle edition.

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Barnes & Noble

Hardcover, paperback and NOOK. Online, or ask for it at your local store.

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TitleDorabella: A Tale of Wonder, Magic, and Love
PublisherOutskirts Press, 2026 · English
ISBN978-1-9772-7997-2 (paperback)
978-1-9772-7728-2 (hardcover)
In italiano: the original Italian edition arrives in Italy later this year. This page will say where to find it.