Who is the real author of Geronimo Stilton?

Elisabetta Dami

Geronimo Stilton is a popular children's book series that features the adventures of a mouse journalist and his friends. The books are full of humor, action, and colorful illustrations. But who is the real person behind the pen name of Geronimo Stilton?

The creator of Geronimo Stilton

The creator of Geronimo Stilton is Elisabetta Dami, an Italian author who was born in 1958 in Milan. She is the daughter of a publisher and started working in the family business as a proofreader when she was 13. She wrote her first short stories when she was 19 and has a passion for adventure and travel. She has a pilot and a parachutist license, and has participated in many expeditions and races around the world. 

The inspiration for Geronimo Stilton

Dami was inspired to create Geronimo Stilton in 1990, when she discovered that she was unable to have children. She decided to volunteer at a children's hospital, where she met Patch Adams, an American doctor who taught her that children need to laugh to recover. She started to tell funny stories about a clumsy mouse named Geronimo Stilton, who would get involved in various adventures. The children loved the stories and encouraged her to write them down. 

The success of Geronimo Stilton

Dami published the first Geronimo Stilton book in 1997, under the pen name of the title character. She wanted to give the impression that the books were written by the mouse himself, as a way of engaging the young readers. She also collaborated with a team of illustrators and designers, who created the colorful and expressive graphics that accompany the text. The books are designed to make reading fun and easy, by using different fonts, colors, and symbols to highlight important words and phrases. 

The Geronimo Stilton series became a publishing sensation, both in Italy and internationally. The books have been translated into 49 languages and have sold over 180 million copies worldwide.   The series has also spawned many spin-offs, such as Thea Stilton, Geronimo Stilton: Kingdom of Fantasy, and Geronimo Stilton: Spacemice. The books have been adapted into an animated TV series, theatrical shows, and video games. 

The message of Geronimo Stilton

Dami's main goal with Geronimo Stilton is to entertain and educate children, by stimulating their imagination and curiosity. She also wants to convey positive values, such as friendship, courage, honesty, and respect for nature and diversity. She hopes that her books can inspire children to read more, to learn more, and to dream more. 

Dami once said: "This character was born from my heart to bring me closer to a dream I sadly was not able to fulfil: that of having children. ... I started doing volunteer work with sick children. It was at the time when Patch Adams taught us that children need to laugh in order to recover ... I wanted to give them a reason to smile, and so I created a world of fantasy and adventure, where anything is possible."

Geronimo Stilton is not only a successful book series, but also a testament to the power of storytelling and the love of a creator for her audience. Elisabetta Dami is the real author of Geronimo Stilton, and she has given millions of children a gift that will last a lifetime..