What do you think?
Rate this book
The little girl behind the mirror
Stella, the little princess of the Village of the Mirror, disappeared years ago. The only hope for the end of her parents' tears is the water spring in the woods and its mysterious message that no one really understands. One day a little gypsy girl appears, tender and bewildered, with two carefree pigtails and a milky-coffee mark on her cheek. She is the only one with the special gift of being able to speak to the spring. In the magic of its reflections, she comes to know Princess Stella who speaks of the coming of a red star.
The people in the village make fun of the little gypsy, but she has Patapa, the local madman who holds a surprising gift of wisdom in a box that everyone thinks is empty. Then there is Nini, a true friend who loves to fire at the leaves with his slingshot and run in the Field of Wonders. There is also the elderly Hale, who understands the appeal and the danger of the spring and knows that it hides a secret for each of us.
Read "The little girl behind the mirror" and you will receive a special gift from the author!
Do you want to see your drawing published in the book "The little girl behind the mirror"?
Read the book and discover how to see your drawing published in the next edition of the novel!
Reviews extracts (from the Italian edition):
A simple, clean prose where extreme care is associated with simplicity. The language, always suited to the world of the small village that the author has created, succeeds in conveying the sense of a rhythm of life that is now alien to us.
Tatiana Azzola, writer
Sweetness, simplicity, a bit of magic and madness. Close your eyes, smile and dream...
Alessia Guglielmi
Extremely evocative landscapes, described with great inventiveness. A well-built story to be fully received by the children, and endowed with that pinch of suspense to be appreciated by an adult reader. The concepts of love and tolerance are passed on to the little ones with delicate elegance, making also the adults reflect on the value of the simple joys and sincere friendship, in opposition to the hypocrisy and the pettiness of the surrounding reality.
Natascia Tiso, University Professor
An experience with the taste of another time, a regretted and sometimes forgotten time.
Flavia Gatto
A book that is magic, that is a fairy tale, a book where one cultivates his dreams, where there are chocolate candies, a sort of wonderland where the reader can come back as a child.
Debora Libardi, book blogger
A bond between fantasy and reality that takes you into a distant world yet so close.
Paola Baldan
A book that is not just words but becomes pictures and emotions, it envelops you and accompanies you.
Laura Canneti
Recommended read at all ages. Deep and full of ideas for the adults, magic and immediate for the little ones.
Emanuele
The people in the village make fun of the little gypsy, but she has Patapa, the local madman who holds a surprising gift of wisdom in a box that everyone thinks is empty. Then there is Nini, a true friend who loves to fire at the leaves with his slingshot and run in the Field of Wonders. There is also the elderly Hale, who understands the appeal and the danger of the spring and knows that it hides a secret for each of us.
Read "The little girl behind the mirror" and you will receive a special gift from the author!
Do you want to see your drawing published in the book "The little girl behind the mirror"?
Read the book and discover how to see your drawing published in the next edition of the novel!
Reviews extracts (from the Italian edition):
A simple, clean prose where extreme care is associated with simplicity. The language, always suited to the world of the small village that the author has created, succeeds in conveying the sense of a rhythm of life that is now alien to us.
Tatiana Azzola, writer
Sweetness, simplicity, a bit of magic and madness. Close your eyes, smile and dream...
Alessia Guglielmi
Extremely evocative landscapes, described with great inventiveness. A well-built story to be fully received by the children, and endowed with that pinch of suspense to be appreciated by an adult reader. The concepts of love and tolerance are passed on to the little ones with delicate elegance, making also the adults reflect on the value of the simple joys and sincere friendship, in opposition to the hypocrisy and the pettiness of the surrounding reality.
Natascia Tiso, University Professor
An experience with the taste of another time, a regretted and sometimes forgotten time.
Flavia Gatto
A book that is magic, that is a fairy tale, a book where one cultivates his dreams, where there are chocolate candies, a sort of wonderland where the reader can come back as a child.
Debora Libardi, book blogger
A bond between fantasy and reality that takes you into a distant world yet so close.
Paola Baldan
A book that is not just words but becomes pictures and emotions, it envelops you and accompanies you.
Laura Canneti
Recommended read at all ages. Deep and full of ideas for the adults, magic and immediate for the little ones.
Emanuele
220 pages, Paperback
Published November 26, 2017
3 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 4, 2025
Some books whisper. The Little Girl Behind the Mirror hums with something else—like the kind of silence that comes after someone asks you a question you didn’t know you needed to answer.
At first glance, this might seem like a typical fable: a mysterious village, a spring that speaks, a king in a humble hut, and a wanderer passing through. But beneath the lyrical structure and gentle pace lies a story designed to linger, not impress. This isn’t a fairy tale with a lesson at the end. It’s a question wrapped in a story that keeps unfolding even after the final page.
The book introduces Scarlett, a girl without a past, name, or place. She doesn’t arrive so much as appear—quiet, uncertain, and alone. What follows is not her discovery of a new world, but the world’s discovery of her. There’s a discomfort to that, especially for young readers who might recognize their own struggle to be understood, labeled, or loved on their own terms. Scarlett’s experiences, particularly around her birthmark and the judgment it draws, are rendered in a way that doesn’t preach or pity—they simply exist, as many children’s insecurities do: silently and heavily.
The real trick of this book is that it manages to hold both kindness and cruelty in the same frame. Characters laugh easily but also wound with their words. A madman plays with squirrels and shouts nonsense, but also teaches one of the most important lessons in the book. A boy with a slingshot becomes a quiet hero—not because he fights dragons, but because he listens when it matters.
What makes The Little Girl Behind the Mirror remarkable is not its story, but its invitation. It invites readers to observe how people look at each other, how names and labels stick, and how mirrors—literal or metaphorical—only tell part of the truth. The spring at the center of the village is magical, yes, but its magic is not flashy. Its power lies in the confusion it creates, forcing characters to confront the gap between reflection and reality.
This isn’t a book to race through. It’s one you sit with. It doesn’t resolve every mystery or deliver every answer. Some of its best insights arrive in small, quiet moments—a boy aiming at a leaf, a flower that waves hello, a question about which cheek a mark is really on.
Is it for everyone? Probably not. Younger readers looking for action-packed plots or cheerful escapism may feel a little lost. But for children navigating complex feelings, or those who’ve ever been called a name they didn’t choose, it’s a rare kind of mirror: one that reflects with care, not distortion.
In a world that’s constantly telling kids who they should be, this book gently, and profoundly, asks them to decide for themselves.
At first glance, this might seem like a typical fable: a mysterious village, a spring that speaks, a king in a humble hut, and a wanderer passing through. But beneath the lyrical structure and gentle pace lies a story designed to linger, not impress. This isn’t a fairy tale with a lesson at the end. It’s a question wrapped in a story that keeps unfolding even after the final page.
The book introduces Scarlett, a girl without a past, name, or place. She doesn’t arrive so much as appear—quiet, uncertain, and alone. What follows is not her discovery of a new world, but the world’s discovery of her. There’s a discomfort to that, especially for young readers who might recognize their own struggle to be understood, labeled, or loved on their own terms. Scarlett’s experiences, particularly around her birthmark and the judgment it draws, are rendered in a way that doesn’t preach or pity—they simply exist, as many children’s insecurities do: silently and heavily.
The real trick of this book is that it manages to hold both kindness and cruelty in the same frame. Characters laugh easily but also wound with their words. A madman plays with squirrels and shouts nonsense, but also teaches one of the most important lessons in the book. A boy with a slingshot becomes a quiet hero—not because he fights dragons, but because he listens when it matters.
What makes The Little Girl Behind the Mirror remarkable is not its story, but its invitation. It invites readers to observe how people look at each other, how names and labels stick, and how mirrors—literal or metaphorical—only tell part of the truth. The spring at the center of the village is magical, yes, but its magic is not flashy. Its power lies in the confusion it creates, forcing characters to confront the gap between reflection and reality.
This isn’t a book to race through. It’s one you sit with. It doesn’t resolve every mystery or deliver every answer. Some of its best insights arrive in small, quiet moments—a boy aiming at a leaf, a flower that waves hello, a question about which cheek a mark is really on.
Is it for everyone? Probably not. Younger readers looking for action-packed plots or cheerful escapism may feel a little lost. But for children navigating complex feelings, or those who’ve ever been called a name they didn’t choose, it’s a rare kind of mirror: one that reflects with care, not distortion.
In a world that’s constantly telling kids who they should be, this book gently, and profoundly, asks them to decide for themselves.
March 24, 2018
A wanderer imparts a story to the reader about the time he came to the Village - the Village of the Mirror that is. He tells the story of a young gypsy girl who calls herself Scarlett and a strange man called Patapa who talks with 'squiggels' and carries a box everywhere. The village though has a sad history, a young child went missing leaving the King and Queen without their only daughter. The longer Scarlett stays - the longer she gets to know those that welcome her and those that shun her - she also gets to know that world around the village - like the Field of Wonders and the spring that is more than meets the eyes because..."there are things that are alive...then there are reflections".
There was something rather beautiful about the way this story is written - something I can't quite put my finger on what it is. The story itself is not exactly straightforward but you get too engrossed by the story and it makes sense in the end. It begins with the Wanderer arriving in a village and then he tells the story to the reader about Scarlett.
Characters are a huge part of this story. Scarlett is a rather interesting girl who reminded me a bit of Ping in the Dragonkeeper books due to the lack of knowledge of a name or history of who she was. I like that she isn't perfect....oh how so many books nowadays portrayal 'perfect' characters - she is reserved, at times cautious and other times reckless, her appearance is deshevelled, and she has the mark on her face. Her affinity with the spring and the strange, but intriguing, reflections she sees deepen the mystery of the story as your mind tries to connect the dots.
And then there is the odd, but loveable, Patapa. Patapa who is labelled as the 'madman' of the village. He has his quirky behaviour - such as a tic that sees his arm move and slap his own bottom - and his affection for his beloved 'squiggels'. Supporting characters such as Nini and Hale add youth and age to the story as well. The thing is, in this story all these characters are well thought out and developed which is something I rarely see in books for this age range.
Overall this is not your typical superficial book that is all too often written for this age group. This book has depth in both the characters and the storyline and I would recommend it in a heartbeat
There was something rather beautiful about the way this story is written - something I can't quite put my finger on what it is. The story itself is not exactly straightforward but you get too engrossed by the story and it makes sense in the end. It begins with the Wanderer arriving in a village and then he tells the story to the reader about Scarlett.
Characters are a huge part of this story. Scarlett is a rather interesting girl who reminded me a bit of Ping in the Dragonkeeper books due to the lack of knowledge of a name or history of who she was. I like that she isn't perfect....oh how so many books nowadays portrayal 'perfect' characters - she is reserved, at times cautious and other times reckless, her appearance is deshevelled, and she has the mark on her face. Her affinity with the spring and the strange, but intriguing, reflections she sees deepen the mystery of the story as your mind tries to connect the dots.
And then there is the odd, but loveable, Patapa. Patapa who is labelled as the 'madman' of the village. He has his quirky behaviour - such as a tic that sees his arm move and slap his own bottom - and his affection for his beloved 'squiggels'. Supporting characters such as Nini and Hale add youth and age to the story as well. The thing is, in this story all these characters are well thought out and developed which is something I rarely see in books for this age range.
Overall this is not your typical superficial book that is all too often written for this age group. This book has depth in both the characters and the storyline and I would recommend it in a heartbeat
November 19, 2018
Review for "The little girl behind the mirror" by Matteo Astone:
First of all, I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read such a fantastic and educational book. Simplicity, magic and authenticity are the words to describe this novel. The ingredients for this enchanting masterpiece are: a mixture of Arthurian legends, medieval stories, and prose and fairytales, a pinch of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and “The Emperor’s New Clothing” by Hans Christian Andersen, imagination and creative writing. You add each ingredient with care and put them together by gluing them with imagination and writing skills. And voila! A masterpiece is born.
I find Mr. Matteo Astone’s book suitable for readers of all ages because there will be at least half of them who will see themselves through the characters, especially through little Scarlett. Virtues like: faith, trust, courage, curiosity, modesty, kindness, generosity, happiness and emotions like: anger, sadness, doubt and fear are present throughout the story. The novel is a reminder of childhood and I see it as a journey in which we all have to face identity crisis and have to grow up both physically and spiritually. Mr. Matteo Astone teaches us (the readers) how to make a difference between true friends and false friends and how faith and imagination can do wonders in our lives.
Hale’s wisdom has no boundaries, while Patapa’s way to see things and people is often misunderstood. A little wisdom and craziness never hurt anyone. I felt suspense and curiosity while reading every chapter. It’s a book that you can’t put it down. Mr. Astone opened a portal to an enchanting world where the reader finds the Village of the Mirror and all sorts of magical places that will take the reader’s breath away, mesmerize him and also make him startle.
I recommend “The Little Girl behind the Mirror” by Matteo Astone to anyone who likes to journey into a fantastic world and leave reality behind for a few minutes.
P.S. I think this quote is suitable for Mr. Astone’s book: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” (Leonardo da Vinci).
First of all, I would like to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read such a fantastic and educational book. Simplicity, magic and authenticity are the words to describe this novel. The ingredients for this enchanting masterpiece are: a mixture of Arthurian legends, medieval stories, and prose and fairytales, a pinch of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and “The Emperor’s New Clothing” by Hans Christian Andersen, imagination and creative writing. You add each ingredient with care and put them together by gluing them with imagination and writing skills. And voila! A masterpiece is born.
I find Mr. Matteo Astone’s book suitable for readers of all ages because there will be at least half of them who will see themselves through the characters, especially through little Scarlett. Virtues like: faith, trust, courage, curiosity, modesty, kindness, generosity, happiness and emotions like: anger, sadness, doubt and fear are present throughout the story. The novel is a reminder of childhood and I see it as a journey in which we all have to face identity crisis and have to grow up both physically and spiritually. Mr. Matteo Astone teaches us (the readers) how to make a difference between true friends and false friends and how faith and imagination can do wonders in our lives.
Hale’s wisdom has no boundaries, while Patapa’s way to see things and people is often misunderstood. A little wisdom and craziness never hurt anyone. I felt suspense and curiosity while reading every chapter. It’s a book that you can’t put it down. Mr. Astone opened a portal to an enchanting world where the reader finds the Village of the Mirror and all sorts of magical places that will take the reader’s breath away, mesmerize him and also make him startle.
I recommend “The Little Girl behind the Mirror” by Matteo Astone to anyone who likes to journey into a fantastic world and leave reality behind for a few minutes.
P.S. I think this quote is suitable for Mr. Astone’s book: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” (Leonardo da Vinci).
September 21, 2025
The Little Girl Behind the Mirror is a whimsical and heartfelt fairy tale full of magic, mystery, and meaning. Scarlett’s journey of self-acceptance and friendship is touching, imaginative, and beautifully told, a story that speaks to both children and adults.
May 30, 2018
bookishowlette
Spoiler Free Review:
I loved the premise of this book. The story is promising and the synopsis makes you curious over what might happen next. It’s deep, imaginative and exciting to explore!
My only issue is, and I’m going to take a wild guess here, this book might be translated from another language. As there seems to be something slightly off with the wording. Which was confusing and took away from the whole reading and world building experience. As you are reading along, you can’t help but feel like something important was lost in translation. At times you can...
Full Review: Here!
Insta: Here!
Twitter: Here!
Facebook: Here!
.
.
REQUEST A Review: Here!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews