🇲🇹 F’Villa Vella toqgħod Nina. Seventeen. Tħobb ir-rota u l-kristalli u l-ġerżijiet bil-kmiem twal. Aħna li noqogħdu faċċata naraw kollox: min iżurhom għal ftit u min iżurhom għal ħafna. Fit-triq jiġru ħafna affarijiet, imma l-iżjed li jiġru, ġewwa … fil-kamra tas-sodda jew fil-kamra tal-banju fejn Nina tkun waħedha. Meta ħadd ma jkun qed iħares Nina jkollha bżonn tistrieħ biex terġa’ tiġi f’tagħha. Jaqtgħuha l-ħsejjes meta taħseb li hemm xi ħadd, sakemm tistejqer u tkompli mal-logħob t’oħtha ż-żgħira, ma’ missierha stinat, u m’ommha l-isptar. Fit-tarf tat-triq l-ieħor, toqgħod Dolor, li kif tidħol f’ħajjithom, jinbidel kollox. Din l-istorja ta’ Nina skont aħna.

Rebbieħ tal-Konkors ta’ Kitba — Letteratura għaż-Żgħażagħ (Aġenzija Żgħażagħ u Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb)

🇬🇧 Nina lives in Villa Vella. S’venteen. She loves bicycles, crystals, and long-sleeved sweaters. We, who live across the street, see everything: those who visit for a short while and those who stay longer. Many things happen on the street, but the most important things happen inside … in the bedroom or the bathroom, where Nina is alone. When no one is watching, Nina needs to rest to regain herself. The noises snap her out of it when she thinks someone is there, until she comes to her senses, and continues playing with her little sister, dealing with her distant father, and her mother in hospital. At the other end of the street lives Dolor, and when she enters their lives, everything changes. This is Nina’s story—according to us.

Winner of the Prize for Writing — YA Literature (National Youth Agency and National Book Council)