Thodoris Papaioannou | A Q&A with the beloved author, on the occasion of his new children's novel, *Livena*

Thodoris Papaioannou’s love for nature is well-known to those who follow his work—from the series of picture books featuring Melios the beetle to Silouani, where he created a subversive holiday setting in the region of Edessa. In his new children's novel, Livena, he is once again inspired by the nature of Edessa, writing with absolute dedication and a belief that children will bring back light and life.

Let’s see what Thodoris Papaioannou had to say on the occasion of his new book's release.

What was the inspiration behind creating the character of Livena?

For years, a story about the city I live in was rolling around in my mind. A story without a specific time frame, with a girl as the central character. These thoughts eventually met with the name "Livena," which is unique. When I discovered it was etymologically related to everlasting flowers and calendula, I said to myself, "This is it!" That is how Livena was created—the charismatic girl from the Lower Town who leads a group of children on the adventure of their lives.

How was the "Tree in the Middle" born and what does it symbolize?

During one of my daily walks in Edessa, I passed through a neighborhood I hadn't visited in many years. There, in the middle of a street, stands a plane tree. Looking at it carefully, I felt it stood as a symbol of resistance for all the trees that were unjustly cut down. The "Tree in the Middle" is nature’s cry to humanity.

What is your daily routine like when you are writing?

I don't have room in my mind for anything else. Even in my sleep, words, phrases, and sometimes entire pages of the story I am writing swirl around. I enter another world that is hard to pull me out of, no matter what is offered to me—walks, trips, entertainment. I am not easily distracted.

The majority of your books are characterized by your deep connection to nature. How did this connection come about?

I bonded with nature from a very young age. I grew up in a village at the foot of a mountain, next to a river. Almost all our games back then had to do with nature. We swam, built huts with reeds, and climbed trees. We weren't afraid of ants, bees, or even the water snakes in the river. When you live in nature, you become a part of it.

What is the most memorable reaction you have received from a reader?

A reader (a university student in Thessaloniki) sent me an email telling me how much she suffered in elementary school because she was teased for her name. Her name? Silouani! She wrote to me that she ordered several copies of my book to gift them to the children who used to bully her back then.

What advice would you give to a child who wants to write their own story?

Read whenever you want, wherever you want, however you want, stories that you enjoy. At some point, your own story will be born in your mind. And then, you can write it down and share it.

In Livena, people change and Nature dies. What is happening? Would you like to tell us a little about that?

Indeed, people change because technology has drawn their attention away from the wonders of nature. Trees are cut down, concrete spreads everywhere, and beautiful houses are demolished. Nature is attacked for no reason and dies. Slowly, almost every sign of life fades. Almost…

However, there are also people who live in harmony with nature. They have been observing the signs for years and manage to avoid the disaster. They move from a "Gate" to the Lower Town. There, they wait patiently for the time when, according to the prophecies, a girl will be born who will lead them out of the darkness and into the light. A girl who will bring life back. Livena.