Playing by Heart
Book Clubs Challenge
The 2025 edition of the award-winning novel Playing by Heart contains Book Discussion questions for use by book clubs, classroom teachers, and homeschooling groups. Author Carmela Martino is inviting these groups to join her 25 Book Clubs Challenge. She would love to visit your reading group to share the true story of the amazing sisters who inspired Playing by Heart and to answer questions you may have about the novel, her writing and research process, and more. Carmela is available to meet virtually via such platforms as Zoom, Google Meet, and Facebook Messenger. See below for Book Club visit details and additional resources.
Note: the cover of the 2025 edition containing Book Discussion questions features the title in blue font to distinguish it from the prior edition. (The ISBN for the 2025 edition is 979-8-9994352-1-7.) Read more about the novel on this page, where you'll find review excerpts and Buy Links to purchase the 2025 edition. As many reviews note: Playing by Heart appeals to readers of all ages, not just young adults.
Help Carmela meet her goal of speaking to at least 25 groups!
Names (and hopefully photos!) of groups that participate will be listed on the Events page.
Teachers and homeschooling parents: use the link below to download a FREE Teacher's Guide for Playing by Heart containing book-related student activities as well as the Book Discussion questions.
Readers who don't have the revised edition of Playing by Heart: use the second link below to download the Book Discussion questions.
All readers are invited to subscribe to Carmela's Creativity Newsletter on this page.
Book Club Visit Details:
When planning the visit, be sure to allot time at the beginning of your meeting (before Carmela arrives) to discuss members' responses to Playing by Heart and to decide what questions you would like to ask her. You may also want to explore some of the resources below, either prior to or after the meeting.
Carmela will join your meeting at the pre-arranged time. She will spend 30-60 minutes answering questions you may have about Playing by Heart, such as the inspiration for the characters, plot development, research process, etc. Carmela is also happy to discuss her other publications, her writing process, and her work as a writing teacher.
If you have any questions about the visit format, or to set up a visit with Carmela, you may email her through the link in the sidebar or connect with her through the contact page.
Book Club Resources
The characters:
(See portraits of the two sisters in the sidebar.)
Emilia Salvini, the main character in Playing by Heart, was inspired by musician and composer Maria Teresa Agnesi (1720-1795). Maria Teresa married Pietro Antonio Pinottini in 1752 and so is also known as Maria Teresa Agnesi Pinottini. She was one of the first Italian women to write a serious opera. You can read more about Maria Teresa and her music in this article by Maria Chiara Mazzi. Unfortunately, many of Maria Teresa's compositions have been lost, but in recent years there's been a resurgence of interest in her. You can now find clips of her music on YouTube, such as this one performed by La Donna Musicale, a non-profit organization "devoted exclusively to the discovery, preservation, and promotion of sacred and secular music by women composers." You can learn more about them on their website. La Donna Musicale has a whole playlist of videos featuring Maria Teresa Agnesi's compositions here.
Maria Salvini, Emilia's older sister in Playing by Heart, was inspired by linguist, mathematician, and humanitarian, Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718-1799). Maria Gaetana was a famous child prodigy in her day. She spoke French fluently by age five and Latin at nine. By her teen years, she had mastered seven languages: Italian, French, Latin, Greek, German, Spanish, and Hebrew. But she is probably best known for writing a mathematics textbook called Analytical Institutions--the oldest surviving math book written by a woman. Maria Gaetana was devoutly religious, and after the death of her father in 1752, she devoted the rest of her life to helping the poor of Milan. Unfortunately, many myths have been published about her over the years, both in print and online. Carmela created a website to debunk some of those myths as well as to share some of the honors that continue to be bestowed on both Maria Gaetana and Maria Teresa. You can find Carmela's Maria Gaetana Agnesi & Family website here.