Swiss authors Gionata Bernasconi and Lietta Santinelli win the “Junior Yellow” of the international literary competition Ceresio in Yellow, obtaining the prize awarded by the children's jury thanks to the novel Three prophecies on the shores of Lake Ceresio, published by Salvioni Editore.
The award ceremony took place at Ville Ponti in Varese, during the final event of an edition which recorded particularly high numbers: 637 literary works were submitted by authors from Italy and abroad. The competition included published novels, unpublished short stories, texts from the "Craft Mystery" section, works aimed at younger readers, and works in the "Mystery for Everyone" category.
For Bernasconi and Santinelli the recognition came thanks to the second chapter of the series The Cedar Band, set on the shores of Lake Ceresio and built around mysteries, investigations, and adventures aimed at younger readers. The prize awarded by the youth jury is worth €400.
The competition, born from an idea of Carla De Albertis and Jenny Santi and dedicated to crime fiction, thriller, noir and detective stories, awarded Michele Brambilla in the overall ranking with Nothing serious happened (Baldini+Castoldi, 2025). Daniele Bresciani came in second with The lynx knows how to wait (Bompiani, 2025), while the third step of the podium went to De Bellis & Fiorillo with Where the fog is eaten (Piemme, 2025).
Gionata Bernasconi, originally from Bellinzona, is an author of fiction for children and young adults. His works have been translated into several languages and have received international recognition. Alongside his literary work, he collaborates with the ARES Foundation on projects related to autism and the promotion of reading, and teaches at the Centro Professionale Sociosanitario in Mendrisio.
Lietta Santinelli She also lives and works in Bellinzona. An occupational therapist specializing in developmental age, she is also involved in scientific dissemination and training, collaborating with various educational institutions.
The award's closing event brought together institutions, writers, jury members, and fans of the noir and detective genres. The evening was hosted by organizers Carla De Albertis and Jenny Santi.
The international literary competition Ceresio in Yellow takes place under theHigh Patronage of the European Parliament and with the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The initiative was also born in collaboration with the Municipality of Varese and with the support of numerous Italian and Swiss organizations and institutions, including the Lombardy Region, the Consulate General of Italy in Lugano, the Regio Insubrica Work Community, and the City of Lugano.
Partners also include the Varesotto Community Foundation, the Varese Chamber of Commerce, the Accademia della Crusca, the Dante Alighieri Society of Milan, the Women Care Association, the LIA Foundation, the AIME European Entrepreneurs Association, LuganoCare, Vox Libri, and numerous cultural, publishing, and association organizations active in Italy and Switzerland.
