A Magical Soup: How a Comic Book is Teaching Kids to Love Nature, Food, and Each Other

In the heart of Tuscany, a unique comic book is offering children a new way to relate to food, nature, and friendship. La zuppa di durvere, the imaginative creation of novelist Stefano Tofani and illustrator Valerio Barchi, tells the story of three young friends, Jamila, Zippo, and Ludo, whose simple bike ride turns into a whimsical journey filled with magic, mystery, and vegetables. Their mission: to gather special vegetables for a legendary soup that holds magical powers.

But this is more than just a fantasy. Through mystery, playful storytelling and stunning watercolour illustrations, the comic becomes a tool for education and awareness, helping young readers appreciate the beauty of local food, biodiversity, and cultural exchange. The children in the story, and those reading it, learn to love vegetables not as chores on their plates, but as treasures of the land. Interactive elements, like choosing the right ingredients for the magical soup, encouraged active participation. Even the comic’s title invites discovery: Durvere is an anagram of verdure, the Italian word for vegetables, a hidden clue that reflects the story’s blend of mystery, nature, and wordplay.

Commissioned by Piana del Cibo, the joint management of food policies by the municipalities of Capannori, Porcari, Altopascio, and Villa Basilica in the Plain of Lucca, and supported by FoodCLIC, La zuppa di durvere was distributed to students in kindergartens and primary schools across the region. It is part of a broader food education initiative that ran throughout the academic year, aiming to help children reconnect with their territory and develop healthier eating habits.

FoodCLIC’s involvement ensured that the comic was more than a classroom accessory; it became the product of a shared process. Both the story and the broader educational pathway were shaped through a collaborative living lab, bringing together the authors with a diverse group of local stakeholders: the municipalities of the Piana del Cibo, the University of Pisa, Slow Food, school teachers, nutritionists from Qualità e Servizi (the public company managing school canteens), and other educational professionals. This joint effort helped root the project firmly in the local context, allowing each stakeholder to contribute their specific expertise and shape a story that is both engaging and educational.

The comic also supports messages of inclusion, showcasing friendships that cross cultural and gender boundaries and highlights intergenerational bonds. Its diverse characters reflect the richness of today’s classrooms and promote a shared understanding of nature as a common home.

By blending narrative, visual art, education, and sustainability, La zuppa di durvere shows how storytelling can nourish both the mind and the planet. With support from FoodCLIC, it’s helping to cultivate not just better food choices, but a generation of young citizens who are more curious, more caring, and more connected to the land that feeds them.

You can find the comic La zuppa di durvere here  (in Italian) 

- Written by our consortium partner Comune di Capannori

Publishing date: 2 June 2025