Italian mouse challenges Harry Potter

The character is soon to be marketed internationally

Geronimo Stilton, a children's book proving immensely popular in Italy, looks set to catch up with publishing phenomenon Harry Potter.

Stilton, a mouse who doubles as a journalist and amateur sleuth, has sold more than 1.6 million copies in Italy since his first story was published by Edizione Piemme two years ago.

The Roman rodent now finds himself within striking distance of JK Rowling's best-selling Harry Potter series, whose four Italian editions sold a total of 2.7 million copies.

A film of the mouse's adventures is in preparation

The publishing giant Bertelsmann has bought the German rights to the 34 adventures, and Stilton is getting ready to invade other countries including Brazil, Belgium, France, Japan, Turkey, and Spain.

As yet, however, Stilton cannot claim to match Potter's success of having his stories translated into more than 30 languages - including Latin and ancient Greek.

There are also high expectations in Italy for a Geronimo Stilton cartoon, set to be released in 2004.

However it will have a long way to go to match the success of the film of the first Potter novel, Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, which broke box-office records around the world.

A film of the mouse's adventures is in preparation

One unresolved mystery about the mouse is who actually writes the stories - there is no author's name on the books.

Edizione Piemme spokesman Valeria Mariette said: "He's like Santa Claus - we don't ask who's really inside."

The publishers claims the anonymity is in keeping with "the magic of childhood".

The only clue to authorship may be the name of Stilton's "godmother" Elisabeth Dami - head of Edizione Piemme's children's book division, Steamboat.

Satirical

Whoever the author is, they have tapped into a fertile market.

The character has been a huge hit among Italian children aged seven to 13 - who comprise the majority of Italy's reading public.

And like may of the best children's stories, there is an appeal to adults as well - thanks to Stilton's subtle satirical commentary on Italian society.

At the same time the mouse is something of a role model, a single non-smoker and a diligent journalist whose only sidekick is an unpredictable secretary who loves the internet and the latest technological gadgets.

Piemme spokesman Valeria Marietti said the character speaks to "the fear of war, of death, of solitude, of growing up".

And Stilton appears to have captured the moment astutely with his Little Book of Peace, published after the 11 September attacks on the United States.