Nice End-of-the-Summer 80 pp novella to read, about 2 boys on a river during the Spring in Provence. Compared to "Huckleberry Finn", this is written from the POV of an adult years later looking back over an adventurous week from his childhood. For one thing, he would not have know the names of all the floral and fauna as a child who spent more time reading books than enjoying Nature.
Bosco wrote dozens of books, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times. But currently only 2 of his books are in print in English translations. Gerard Hopkins translated a number of them during the 1950's, but are hard to come by.
Charming, although the melodramatic scene of the marionette show does not fit well in the short plot.
A nice Summer's night's read - but it does not make me want to pick up any of his other work.
Does anyone know if Bosco did write Gatzo's story? It does not appear so.