In January 2000 Gianmarco met Isabela for the first time. He was in the Peruvian Andes, in South America, during one of his trips around the world. Isabela was for sale at a little market, and after buying her, he decided to name her after a real baby alpaca he had met shortly before, along with her owner. From that moment on, Isa became his one-of-a-kind travel buddy and she follows him on several of his missions as a field correspondent. A bit of a helper, a bit of a good-luck charm, and also a great friend! Giammarco is a journalist, and for his job, he asks questions, talks to people, and tries to understand why things happen in the world so he can tell others about them. Isa, on the other hand… well, she’s a plush alpaca and she tags along with her friend on his journeys!

In this children’s book, Gianmarco explains the job of a journalist through a lighthearted conversation with Isa. He explains the definitions of some key terms, the essential items in a journalist’s backpack, and their main tasks. Gianmarco and Isa set off on various adventures; during their expeditions, they reach the Amazon, Ukraine, and then Palestine. On these journeys, Gianmarco explains with sensitivity, humor, and simplicity these three complex realities, that may seem far away but actually affect us all. Children and plushes included!

About Gianmarco Sicuro

He began working as a TV correspondent in 2008 after getting a degree in Political Science and a Journalism Master. He has covered major events of recent years, from migration crises in Lampedusa, Malta, Venezuela and Mexico to ISIS attacks in Europe, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He is the author of the books L’anno dell’alpaca (Gemma Edizioni, 2021) and Grano. Storie e persone da una guerra vicina (Gemma Edizioni, 2023). He hosts the current affairs segment on RaiNews.it “MappaMondi”.