A small gemstone, when seen up close, can reveal itself as a great milestone. Throughout his vast and multifaceted career, Munari gifted the world of culture Tantibambini, a masterpiece in the form of a book series. “It will instantly make all other children’s books look outdated,” he told his publisher in 1971, at the start of this imaginative, narrative, and design adventure.

Conceived and directed by Bruno Munari between 1972 and 1978, the Tantibambini series marked a turning point in the evolution of children’s publishing in Italy. So much so that it is considered one of Munari’s most revolutionary projects – he himself liked to say that “revolutions must be made without anyone noticing...”

It was revolutionary in its method: Munari approached it as a design project in the broadest sense, applying the same rigorous process he would use for an industrial object or a work of art. This was a stark departure from the superficiality to which children’s books were often relegated (and, unfortunately, still often are).

Revolutionary in its format: nearly square in shape, with no hardcover or thick spine – a lightweight yet large booklet where the visual narrative and opening words began right on the cover, immediately drawing the reader into the story.

Bruno Munari

Under Munari’s creative direction and thanks to the visionary leadership of publisher Giulio Einaudi, Tantibambini brought together, over seven years and sixty-six titles, some of the most renowned names in children’s literature (Gianni Rodari, Nico Orengo, Toti Scialoja, among others), alongside esteemed designers and artists (Pino Tovaglia, Giancarlo Iliprandi, Mario De Biasi, Emanuele Luzzati, and more). It also became a launchpad for many young, emerging talents who found in Munari’s enthusiasm an extraordinary opportunity to establish themselves.

Munari himself played an active role, publishing several books under his own name, including the celebrated Roses in the Salad. He also authored some of the series’ playful reinterpretations of classic tales, such as Little Green Riding Hood and Little Yellow Riding Hood. In addition, he enjoyed writing under various whimsical pseudonyms (E. Poi, Celestino Luftberg, and likely others, including anonymous works), signing books to which he contributed only text.

What emerged around Munari’s charismatic, multifaceted figure was a true creative laboratory – founded with the goal of “training and nurturing authors and illustrators for children’s literature […] preparing them for this serious work, which is too often dismissed as something minor, a task to be done with one’s left hand.”

Munari continues to inspire those who embrace curiosity and surprise – those who, as he believed, “know how to keep childhood within themselves for a lifetime.” Until April 13, 2025, the Eldodo bookstore in Milan will host Munari TTB - Bruno Munari and the Tantibambini Series Project, an exhibition curated by Bice Dantona and Michela Dezzani.

For the first time, all sixty-six original editions of the series will be displayed, along with drawings and documents from the Einaudi Historical Archives.

The exhibition also features an in-depth digital display, offering a complete and detailed timeline of the entire series.

Moreover, a lineup of related events will accompany the exhibition’s opening, providing further insights into Bruno Munari’s creative world and his educational workshops.