ΕΝΑ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΜΕΤΡΑΕΙ Τ’ ΑΣΤΡΑ / A CHILD COUNTS THE STARS
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Autor:
MENELAOS LOUNTEMIS
Country:
Greece (GR)
Book Theme:
Classic novels and Authors representing your country culture
Publisher:
PATAKIS
Publishing Year:
2014
Menelaos Lountemis (real name Dimitris Valasiadis) was the pen name (inspired by the Loudias River of his later homeland) one of the most important essayists in the Greek interwar period and post-World War II era. He was born in the village of Agia Kyriaki in Aigialos (Gialova) in Asia Minor in 1912. After the Asia Minor Catastrophe, he settled with his family in Macedonia. He first appeared in Greek literature at a very young age, publishing poetry collections. The first time he used his pseudonym was in 1934 in the short story “A Night with Many Lights Under a City with Many Stars”. He was also awarded the Menelaus Loudemis Prize, established in his honour by the Hellenic Society of Writers and awarded annually to the best prose novel of the previous year.
National Award for Children’s and Young People’s
Abstract
Ένα παιδί μετράει τ’ άστρα” (A Child Counts the Stars) is a classic Greek novel that follows the journey of a young, impoverished boy, Melios, who faces adversity with resilience, intelligence, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Set in early 20th-century Greece, the story paints a vivid picture of rural hardship, social inequality, and the power of education as a means of transcendence.
Melios, abandoned and destitute, moves from place to place, encountering kindness and cruelty in equal measure. Despite the harshness of his circumstances, he remains hopeful, drawing inspiration from books, mentors, and the beauty of the stars. His love for learning becomes his escape from poverty and oppression, symbolizing the transformative force of knowledge. Along the way, he meets figures who shape his character—some who try to suppress him and others who nurture his dreams.
Lountemis’ poetic and evocative prose captures the struggles of the marginalized while emphasizing the importance of perseverance and self-belief. The novel is both a coming-of-age story and a social critique, highlighting themes of injustice, resilience, and the pursuit of one’s dreams against all odds.
A deeply moving and timeless work, it continues to inspire readers with its message of hope, personal growth, and the boundless power of the human spirit.
