Matita is an independent Franco-Italian publishing house, founded in Venice in 2023, that publishes illustrated books for children aged 3 to… 99 years. Its name, Matita (pencil), refers to an object common to the child, the illustrator, and the architect. Architecture is, in fact, at the heart of Matita’s editorial line.
Matita books are designed and/or illustrated by architects and cover themes related to design, housing, and the environment in an innovative and original way. All the books are produced and distributed in line with values we wish to pass on to the adults of tomorrow: promoting Made in Italy (particularly Made in Venice, the birthplace of publishing), environmental protection, and sharing.
An Original Editorial Line
Matita’s books stand out for two major characteristics: a strong graphic identity, far from traditional children’s books, and a storyboard and/or illustrations created by architects, offering a unique and original perspective on our environment.
100% Local Production
Matita prioritizes local production and entrusts the printing of its books to Venetian printers renowned for their centuries-old craftsmanship, ensuring both quality and ethics in the production process.
An Eco-Responsible Policy
The paper used for printing is FSC certified, ensuring sustainable forest management. The book format was chosen to minimize paper waste, and local production helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with book transportation.
Why architecture for children?
Matita has chosen to focus on themes related to architecture, design, and the environment in its illustrated books for several reasons:
> Educating about beauty and the surrounding environment: Architecture and design are part of everyday life. Telling their stories through illustrations helps young readers develop a curious and attentive eye towards the built and natural world around them, stimulating aesthetic sensitivity and an appreciation for the beauty in details. Additionally, it helps children learn new vocabulary related to architecture and the environment, facilitating their understanding in narrative contexts. Detailed illustrations encourage description, expanding their descriptive language and improving verbal expression.
> Cultivating creativity and imagination: Architecture and design require innovation and creativity. Matita books invite children not only to explore buildings and cities but also to imagine and design their own spaces, fostering a sense of project planning, as happens when they play with Legos or build sandcastles.
> Creating connections between culture and territory: Architecture and design reflect the historical and cultural context of places. Matita transmits the value of artistic and architectural heritage to young readers, promoting the protection and enhancement of the cultural identity of different territories.
> Offering educational fun: Matita books are engaging and instructive, combining learning with fun. Children immerse themselves in fascinating stories and participate in interactive workshops that turn learning into a joyful experience.
Why involve architects in curating or illustrating the books?
Because it makes sense! When Matita decided to explore themes of cities, homes, and interiors, we naturally turned to those who design them. Additionally, we wanted to create a new kind of publishing: books that are both entertaining and thoughtful, unconventional yet educational. To bring this vision to life, we needed a truly unique team.
Why choose Made in Italy?
More than 60% of hardback books for toddlers, but also a significant number of picture books and albums are printed outside Europe. This means that for the majority of these titles, the quality of the paper and inks is unknown, the incentive to recycle is absent and, for most of them, the printers are not certified (ISO, FSC).
By choosing to produce its books in Venice, Matita avoids having books travel thousands of kilometres from the other side of the world, and guarantees a high level of quality for its albums, as Italy has always been one of the countries with the greatest expertise in the printing industry. It also guarantees that the books are produced in compliance with human rights standards.
Why not produce more books?
At Matita we like to do a good job: we only undertake what we are sure we can do. That’s why we prefer to focus on a limited number of projects but to carry them out with all our heart and to defend them for a long time.
Do you accept editorial projects or collaborations ?
Do you have a project or an idea ? We would be very happy to have a look at it !
Submit it at info@matitaedizioni.com
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info@matitaedizioni.com
Registered office
Dorsoduro 1131/A
I-30123 Venezia
P.iva 04518850278
matitaedizioni@pec.it
Studio Leonardo Sonnoli
Webkolm
Nicola Carpene
Giacomo Dal Sasso
Marco Tonet
Delphine Trouillard
