Manos Kontoleon, Author and Critic
DIAVAZO literary magazine, 2003
"Riko kokoriko"

Sophia Madouvalou is an author with her own very different style of writing, just as the hero of this book, Riko Kokoriko, is different. In order to discuss xenophobia and racism she chooses a little cockerel as her hero and with the daring that typifies her writing, places him in a classroom with children as his classmates. In a verse tale that can be read with pleasure by young readers and easily learned by heart, she deals with the subject of xenophobia at all levels of society and through the lips of the children’s teacher makes clear her own position: ‘The ancient Greek word ‘ksenos’ (foreigner) meant both ‘visitor’ and ‘friend’.’