Bianca come il latte, rossa come il sangue is a book published in 2010 and written by Alessandro D’Avenia (1977). The author is a writer, teacher, and a screenwriter. He was born in Palermo, where he focused on classical studies during High School, where he was greatly influenced by his religious teacher, father Pino Puglisi.

D’Avenia went on to obtain a degree in Greek Literature at the University of Rome La Sapienza and then a PhD in Classical Humanities. He later taught Greek and Latin at High School. In 2006, he moved to Milan to undertake screenplay studies. His books are translated in more than twenty countries and in 2012 he was awarded the father Pino Puglisi International Prize for his proven commitment to young people.

White as Silence, Red as Song is the story of a sixteen-year-old kid, named Leo, who spends his life as any other teenager; he loves hanging out with his friends, playing soccer, running around in his motor-scooter, and listening to music on his iPod. He can’t stand school and having to be there, considering all teachers as “an endangered species that you hope will become permanently extinct”. One day, a new temporary teacher arrives in Leo’s class. He teaches history and philosophy. Leo is ready to welcome him with the usual dose of cynicism and with saliva-soaked balls. But something unexpected happens. This professor is not like all the others, he is different.    

He is passionate about the work he does and the subjects he teaches, he encourages his students to live fully and to follow their dreams. There is a special spark in this teacher’s eyes.

Leo is inspired and empowered by his new professor, but there is something that is holding him back, the color white. White represents absence, deprivation, and loss. On the other hand, the color red stands for love, passion, and blood. But it is also the color of Beatrice’s hair.

Beatrice is the girl Leo is in love with, his very own dream. He is determined to win over this girl; however, she doesn’t even know that he exists. While Beatrice is Leo’s dream, his friend Silvia represents his stable and happy reality.

One day Leo ends up in the hospital, where he finds out that Beatrice is there too. He then discovers that she is seriously ill and that such illness has something to do with that white color he is so afraid of.

His love for her and his unstoppable determination to be there for her and help her will lead Leo through an amazing and painful journey. Through love, he must figure out how to support her and how to grow up fast.

“Leo will have to dig deep within himself, bleed and be reborn, to understand that dreams cannot die and find the courage to believe in something bigger”.

White as Silence, Red as Song is D’Avenia’s first novel and it sold over a million copies. It is considered Italy’s The Fault in Our Stars.

“This rich, funny, and heartwarming coming-of-age tale asks us to explore the meaning—and the cost—of friendship and shows us what happens when suffering bursts into the world of teenagers and renders the world of adults speechless”.