Books
Brother wolf
Malik. I think of him as a totem that kept the tribe together, trying to adjust to the flat and dreaming of his old greenery surrounded teepee.
In the few photos we took after his departure, we look like a handful of coins thrown into the air, fallen haphazardly, all scattered about. This, for instance, with Blanche looking at me, Black Elk looking up at the sky, Fossil looking down at his trainers and Miss Kitty in her sunglasses, looking inside, at the places only she could go.
Many animals and other counting rhymes
Manuela Castro Neves is a lifelong teacher.
Throughout her experience she made up several rhymes inspired by mathematical concepts. In these short stories, math functions as a kind of motto for the author’s own entertainment and the entertainment of all readers.
What's in there?
There are thousands of objects all around us:
in drawers, in cupboards, in backpacks and pockets, under beds and sofas...
The boy who loved birds (and many other things)
Ricardo was born on a planet in danger: forests were disappearing, oceans were polluted, there were problems with water and energy, and there were hundreds of species in danger of extinction. Ricardo really did worry and he tried to set an example... until the day when he realized that people around him seemed to live on another planet.
The Karate Girl's Red Notebook
We practiced kata together, we were perfectly synchronized.
I stood behind Raul (hair laden with fruit, shoulders of stone), but when we turned, I was in front, with my back to him. We breathed as one and our feet crawled across the floor like crocodiles. We were the perfect movement, the perfect form, the perfect substance (and now he came closer and I began to feel his breath on my neck... -> no vampires in this story).
My big dream is to be a black belt (and to kiss Raul).
The Island
Once there was an Island. It was neither great nor small, it was the size of a standard island.
One day, a boat with people from the continent arrived and from then on the islanders wanted only to be like their visitors.
And so began the construction of a bridge: a bridge so large, that it would need all the stone from the mountain, all the wood from the forest, and all the sand from the beach...
What will be left at the end?
I've Never Seen a Bike and Ducks Won't Let Go
It’s obvious that our parents and our teachers want the best for us.
But sometimes they are so worried about teaching us stuff that they forget the importance of taking us to see the ducks or helping us to ride a bike.
Coming and Going
On earth, we aren’t the only ones who travel long distances. Many birds, fish and mammals migrate hundreds of miles in search of food, of warmer climates or of good places to have their young.
It’s not just the incredible distances these creatures travel, it’s the way they do it that makes us slow down and think…
A book for everyday
Each morning brings us a new day to open and unwrap.
This is a book of days and happenings, a book that stirs memories.
Where do we go when we disappear?
Apart from very a few exceptions, no one can answer this question with absolute certainty.
Where do we go when we disappear? takes advantage of this lack of clear answers and throws out new possibilities — colorful and poetic, serious and nonsensical — that’s how it lightens a usually somber topic.
Whatever
Billy has a problem (unfortunately quite a common one) — he is extremely difficult to please. His father tries hard, he shows him the most amazing things, but Billy always answers with a weary shrug, "Whatever!"
How does a chicken...
A chicken is known for being a silly, ugly bird.
They say a chicken doesn’t fly or sing, she just scratches and cackles and poos everywhere (and that’s true).
But the truth, the real truth is told in this book…
We all do everything
“We all do everything” disposes of words and instead becomes a game. The illustrations show different characters – men, women, young and old – engaging in a wide variety of activities. The split pages mean that, upon turning the separate parts, readers are able to make different combinations. It is possible to see all characters doing everything, meaning that, at least in this book, there are no prejudices or preconceived ideas. Everyone can do everything: grandparents go surfboarding, fathers hang out the washing, mothers do odd jobs, everything happens naturally.
High-tide
A wordless picturebook can be a disconcerting object.
There are no words on the pages and readers, who are used to the presence of a text that leads them by the hand, may feel rather lost (a bit like when we get to a beach and look for the best place to sit). It’s possible that upon opening this picturebook, some readers will ask worriedly, "What can we do with this book?"
Thanks to everyone!
We are surrounded by a large family — parents, siblings and grandparents, as well as neighbours, teachers and friends — when the boy in this book discovers that his extended family has taught him all the simple and complicated things he knows, he decides to thank them all. "Thank you to everyone!" he shouts.
A day in the life of an umbrella
One day somebody leaves an umbrella on the bus.
A passenger uses it to fend off a pickpocket and this is the prelude to all sorts of adventures. At the end of the day, and after many twists and turns, the umbrella ends up where we least expect to find it.
Follow the Arrow!
A city full of signs, directions and mandatory turns.
A boy that lives his days amongst the arrows, never daring
to deviate from his course.
And a revolutionary idea that invades his thoughts
and makes him one day venture out...
A book for all those who like to travel to unexplored
places and who are not afraid of getting lost.
While my Hair was Growing
Hair is not an easy thing:
If you have straight hair, you’d rather it was curly.
If you have dark hair, you think blondes are more beautiful.
If you have short hair, you want it to grow quickly…
Mila, the hairdresser in this book, understands all this and is able to surprise her clients with the fanciest of transformations.
But one day, a small tragedy happened inside the walls of the her salon..
Exchangescope
What can this strange word mean?
Is it the name of a fish with crooked eyes? EXCHANGESCOPE
Or is it what we call someone who is constantly changing their opinion?
None of that.
The Backyards’ Book
In this book we don’t go into anyone’s home.
Instead we follow stories that take place outside, near the lemon and loquat trees, in the vegetable garden and on the washing line, in water tanks and paddling pools.
The Quilt
In comic books, each square tells a little piece of the story.
In this book, which is not a comic book, or anything like it, each square (made of cloth) also has a story to tell.
The First Tangerine Slice
What does a girl do with a tangerine in her hand?
She smells it, tastes it, tries it...
It’s a one and only event (the girl has never tasted
anything like it before) and, so, everyone comes to watch.
Will she like it?
At Home, We Are...
Under the same roof a considerable number of body parts come together: heads, hands, feet, bones, teeth, strands of hair and even boobies. Together they trigger episodes, habits and obsessions, problems even... and they just love getting together for a party.
Fast, Slow
We may not hear its ticking, but the truth is that clocks are around every corner. From morning to bedtime, they go on, relentlessly, measuring time, making us run or wait even when we less feel like it. Outside, time “goes through a counting machine”; inside, time is elastic and all kinds of jokes, thoughts and rides fit in it.
But it is not always easy to go at the right pace... so, “fast” and “slow” are two words that this child hears often throughout the day.
Two Roads
The old road and the new road.
Two possible routes to reach the same destination.
Two almost parallel journeys, each one with its own adventure.
Who drove the most kilometers?
Who got there the fastest?
Who had the most surprises on the way?
Wandering Around
The boy in this book often goes out for a stroll with his grandfather.
It’s not about a walk in the company of each other, but something quite different.
Tongue Twisters
A book for those who like…
to sharpen their tongue...
to roll their tongue...
to bite their tongue...
to stick out their tongue…
to know more than their mother tongue…
A Day on the Beach
There are many ways to tell a story. And one way is without words, in silence, listening to the sound of the sea.
In this book, the images follow the movements of a day at the beach that ends in a totally unexpected way…
Is That Really You?
A missing boot leaves two friends talking to each other.
It is a perplexing conversation that almost makes us dizzy!
Talk amongst friends is like that…
My Neighbour is a Dog
My building has always been very quiet.
Nothing ever happened there…
But one day a huge removal van stopped right in front of our door...
A Mother’s Heart
A mother’s heart is not just
a muscle that beats non-stop.
It is a magical place where the most amazing things happen…
The World in a Second
Each time a second crosses the world (always running, always in a hurry), millions of things happen. Here, there, everywhere…
When I Was Born
A big adventure starts when we are born!
Breathing, tasting, feeling…
Some of the fantastic discoveries that made us wonder — and still do — march through the pages of this book.
The Great Invasion
When they arrived on earth, there were only a few hundred, unobjectionable and rather slow.
Then, gradually, more and more kept arriving…
A Table is Just a Table. Isn't It?
A fun look at the world of tables and people, illustrating that there is no single way of looking at the world, but instead many varied truths.
A book which invites young and old to think together about such things.
D for Dad
Dad can be the most incredible thing: a tractor, a ladder, a mattress or a sponge…
This book takes a closer look at the involvement between fathers and their children, and invites them to discover themselves while turning the pages.