Voula Mastori

A Greek author of children's books invites you to meet her and her work

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Bologna 2007

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THE TETRALOGY WITH ANNA

T' avgoustiatiko feggari

"The August moon" “T’ avgoustiatiko feggari” Time of edition: 1994 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) “Michaela Averov” award of Greek Writers Society

sto gymnasio (English translation available)

"At High School" “Sto gymnasio” Year of edition: 1991 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) “Michaela Averov” award of Greek Writers Society

1-1-4

"One-One-Four" “Ena-Ena-Tessera” Year of edition: 1993 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

Some more novels by Voula Mastori

To potami zilepse

"The river got jealous" “To potami zilepse” Year of edition: 2003 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

Agapes me oura

"Love with a… Tail" “Agapes me oura” Year of edition: 1999 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Spyros Gousis

Psithiri agorion

"Psithiri agorion" “Boys’ Wispers” Year of edition: 2009 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

Fi-Gama-Pi

"Fi-Gama-Pi" “Friends For Ever” Year of edition: 2008 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

Kouklina (English translation available)

"DolLina" “koukLina” Year of edition: 2006 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

To agori ton melisson

"The boy of bees" “To agori ton melisson” Year of edition: 2006 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by George Dimitriou

T' avgoustiatiko feggari

Anna (a heroine found also in the books “At High School”, “One-One-Four” and “Under her heart”) is a pupil in primary school. A girl who likes to pass herself off as a boy. She only plays with boys and snubs all that’s “girly”. Her unorthodox behaviour often clashes with the postwar provincial concept of “proper” – but this does not disturb her in the least. On the other hand how does she react when her own feminity begins to emerge?

184pp

sto gymnasio

A year in the life of a 13-year-old girl (Anna), attending high school in the Greek province, during the years 1957-1958. Under the strict rules of high school, she faces her first traumatic experiences, but, above all, the relationship evolving between her and her language teacher. A spirited story that describes with realism and sensitivity the life of a teenager. 144pp

kato ap' tin kardia tis

“Under her heart" “Kato ap’ tin kardia tis” Year of edition: 1995 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece)

Some picture books by Voula Mastori

Dorilenia (English translation available)

"Dorilenia" Year of edition: 2005 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Vassilis Papatsarouhas, State Chldren’s Literature Award 2006

O xionantropos pire ti mama (English translation available)

“O hionanthropos pire ti mama” "The Snowman’s Taken Mum Away" Year of edition: 1999 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Efi Lada Award by Circle of Greek Children’s Book & Inscription on Honourable List of Andersen 2001 Listed in the European educational project ONLY CONNECT

Ena gemato melia xeraki (English translation available)

“Ena gemato melia heraki” "A tiny hand full of honey" Year of edition: 2001 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Spiros Goussis

Ekini ti fora

“Ekini ti fora” "That time" Year of edition: 1996 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Nikos Maroulakis

Mia prosefxi ston Ai Vasili

“Mia prosefhi ston Ai-Vasili” “Santa’s prayer” Year of edition: 2001 Publisher: PATAKIS (Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Daniela Stamatiadi

Pou pige to feggari apopse?

“Pou pige to feggari apopse?” "Where’s the moon gone tonight?" Year of edition: 1996 Publisher: PATAKIS(Athens, Greece) Illustrated by Sonia Mitralia

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BOOKS & IDEAS

ATHENSPLUS • FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2008

BY VIVIENNE NILAN

Voula Mastori brings boys’ whispers out into the open

Outspoken

The author tells it like it is in a convincing portrayal of adolescence

Voula Mastori took the lid off passion, loyalty and pettiness in the lives of

teenage girls in her novel “FF” (Friends Forever). Now she crosses to the other side of the gender barricade in “Psithyroi agorion” (Boys’ Whispers), just released by Patakis. She tells it like it is; in fact, the book jacket carries what it describes as “something like a warning” about the language. “I didn’t censor my heroes’ foul language,” notes the author, “because I believe there are no ‘bad words,’ only bad people.”

Puberty’s onset has Pavlos torn between horror and fascination at the changes in his body. He hardly knows which is worse: the pimple that never disappears completely, migrating from chin to nose to forehead in between major eruptions, the voice which won’t break – making phone callers confuse him with his sister – or the erections and sexual fantasies that torment him. He’s started feeling embarrassed by the easy physical affection he used to share with his mother. His father is so remote he doesn’t even hear his family talking to him, as his daughter Danae proves one day at the dinner table when she admits to a series of fictitious sexual misdemeanors that would horrify him if he had heard. And there’s no point in asking his brother for advice. Ever since Pavlos was ejected from the room he shared with Danae for showing too much interest when she got undressed, his older brother Petros has treated him with lofty disdain, forbidding him to cross a line he has drawn in their now shared bedroom.

Luckily Pavlos has two friends who have hit adolescence at the same time. He, Sakis and Iraklis anxiously compare measurements, scour the Internet for facts about sex and try to come to terms with their changing feelings for girls. For years, the three buddies have scorned girls; now that Pavlos suddenly wants to reconnect with Matoula, a girl he had a crush on in nursery school, he fears the mockery of his friends.

There are other issues too. His parents assume he will follow one of their professions, a prospect Pavlos dreads. Mastori shows him plucking up the courage to take risks and stand up for himself, gaining unexpected support in the process from his brother and sister.

“Boys’ Whispers” is a convincing portrayal of adolescence that tackles

the sensitive subjects of sexual awakening and insecurity with humor

and understanding.

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