Bologna Prize Best Children's Publisher of the year

Great news! We are happy to announce that for the second consecutive year, we are one of the five nominees for the Best Children's Publisher of the Year, given by the Bologna Children's Book Fair. The prize has been instituted to pay tribute to publishers at the forefront of innovation in their activity.
Here you can see the complete list of the nominees. Congratulations to all of them!

Image: Roeselien Raimond

Irma Sirena

Antonio Tabucchi

Gabriella Giandelli (Ilustrations)

"As she did every year, Irma arrived with the other wagons, to stay for a week. Thin, anaemic, and very pale, she could never go out: she watched us play in the park from the cart window, shyly beckoning us with her hand for us to come closer."

Irma Sirena was the first short story to be published by Antonio Tabucchi. The story is about the friendship between two boys and a mermaid girl, on display as an attraction at a fairground.

The delightful imprint of Gabriella Giandelli is added to the admirable prose of Tabucchi. This wonderful combination makes a book for all ages. 

25 x 20 cm; 24 pp.;
ISBN: 978-84-9429-186-9

A House for Grandpa

Grassa Toro

Isidro Ferrer  (Illustrations)

"My grandmother, my mother, my siblings and I climb up to the highest point of the mountain. This was the place we were looking for. Very close to a town surrounded by sunflowers. We bury Grandpa and build the house right above him."

A happy family sets out in search for a place to bury Grandpa: they find the perfect place among the sunflowers and build a new house there where "all" of them will continue to live.

A symbolic and subtle story about memories and the loved ones who remain in our lives.











Isidro Ferrer uses charming characters to portray the cycle of life, where the past is a driving force for the nature. A House for Grandpa won Spain's National Illustration Prize in 2006.

20 x 20 cm; 32 pp.; Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-941619-7-1

The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde
















 Oski (Illustrations)

«For five days he kept his room, and at last made up his mind to give up the point of the blood-stain on the library floor. If the Otis family did not want it, they clearly did not deserve it. They were evidently people on a low, material plane of existence, and quite incapable of appreciating the symbolic value of sensuous phenomena.»

The Canterville Ghost is one of the most popular short stories by Oscar Wilde. This humorous and sarcastic tale narrates the misfortunes of a poor and anacronic ghost who is unable to scare the new tenants of the Canterville Chase and becomes a victim of two terrible twin brothers. Only the compassion of a young girl will comfort his sad soul.

Libros del Zorro Rojo retrieves the memorable illustrations by the renowned Argentine artist and humorist Oscar Conti (Oski).

Translation: Esther Tusquets



























Oscar Conti is considered to be one of the most influential Argentine illustrators of the twentieth century.

21 x 20 cm, 108 pp, Hardback
ISBN: 978-987-28233-5-1

Read the first chapter

Trees

Mario Benedetti

























Javier Zabala (Illustrations)

«The modesty of trees is infinite. When the morning breeze caresses them, they let their tender leaves fall. And when a gale buffets them piteously, their branches harden like iron bars. Then their trunks recover the solidity of their foundation and the storm slinks away, with rain of the defeated.»

A delicious story about the secret lives of trees and the subtle communication that nature can establish with human beings. Mario Benedetti composes an enchanting story through simple prose, which Javier Zabala interprets with unique poetry, where contemplation of the world offers unexpected amazement.

Javier Zabala nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2012

Age 5 and up; 21 x 28 cm; 24 pp. Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-96509-99-3 / Argentina: 978-987-28233-1-3

See the author's biography (in Spanish)
See the illustrator's biography (in Spanish)

Goya for Children

Marina García

Come and meet the greatest painters in this collection, which has fun games to help you get to know the work of each artist! In this book, Goya tells you his fascinating story, taking you through the different stages of his life. 

Titles in this collection: Velázquez for Children, Dalí for Children, Picasso for Children, Gaudí for Children.

Available in Spanish too.

7 years and up; 205 x 270 mm; 16 pp. Paperback
ISBN: 978-84-92412-45-7
ISBN Spanish edition: 978-84-92412-006

The Silence of Water

José Saramago



Manuel Estrada (illustrations)

«... and there I was, with the day fading fast and not a twitch from the cork float to indicate any signs of subaquatic life, when, suddenly, without even having felt the initial exciting tremor that announces a fish trying to nibble the bait, the float plunged down into the depths.»

On the shores of the Tejo river, during a lonely afternoon
of fishing, a child is about to catch the big fish. At the
very moment the boy loses his prey, he gets involved in
a moving adventure that will end with the awakening
of lucidity.

Inspired by a childhood memory, the Portuguese Nobel
Prize winner unfolds a tale of extraordinary beauty
and wisdom in The Silence of Water.

Manuel Estrada, one of the leading contemporary
graphic artists, recreates the profoundness of this
memorable story with striking images.

Age 6 and up; 210 x 280 mm; 24 pp. Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-92412-38-9 Català: 978-84-92412-39-6

See the author's biography
See the illustrator's biography

Manuel Estrada

Madrid, 1953



Designer and occasional illustrator, he has created several book covers, for the publications of the newspaper El País or the series Espacio Abierto by Anaya. As the President of the Association of Designers from Madrid and the designer of the corporative images of the Cervantes Prize and the Award of the Organisation of American States, Manuel Estrada is one of the most renowned graphic artists of these times. In 2008 he was a member of the jury of the Bologna Ragazzi Award. His work has been exhibited in important capitals of the world and has been awarded with prominent prizes such as Laus, AEPD and the Art Directors Club of Europe Award.

Published titles:
The Silence of Water

Doubt

Pia Valentinis



«I always have so many doubts...»

Doubt is maybe one of the few items we are given in life to learn how to choose and how to appreciate its different paths. But doubt is also a way to explore the connection between both our inner and outer world.

This book invites us to think of ourselves, of the way we are related to our family and friends and all those feelings which set human condition apart.

The harmony between the text and the illustrations shows the sensibility of Pia Valentinis. She chooses the fable to create an atmosphere of intimacy and complicity with the reader. This is a book that will let the children think about their own certainties by means of doubt.

Age 4 and up; 225 x 280 mm; 32 pp. Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-02412-53-2 Català: 978-84-96509-83-2

See the author's biography

Pia Valentinis

Udine, 1965



She graduated at the National Institute of Arts. She is one of the most renowned Italian illustrators, and was awarded in 2002 with the Andersen Prize for The World of Childhood for best illustrator of the year. As an author of numerous children’s books in Italy and abroad, Pia Valentinis has been selected for the Illustrator’s Exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2001, Bratislava Biennial of Illustration in 1995, 2001 and 2007, and Catalonia Biennial in 1995. At the moment she combines her editorial work and the management of a laboratory of visual arts for children.

Published titles:
Doubt

Ode to a Star

Pablo Neruda



Elena Odriozola (illustrations)

«Reaching out at the night
on the terrace of a very tall and sullen skyscraper,
I could touch the nocturnal canopy
and in an art of extraordinary love
I grabbed a celestial star.»

From the top of a skyscraper, in the hugeness of the night, the poet seizes a star. He keeps it in his pocket and sets off on his journey. Its beams shine through the walls of his house and his life is never the same again. A memorable, poetic tale by Pablo Neruda, full of emotion, tenderness and wonder. Delicate illustrations by Elena Odriozola give this book an exquisite graphic dimension, which will appeal to both adults and children.

Elena Odriozola Premio Euskadi
de Ilustración 2009

Age 6 and up; 210 x 280 mm; 24 pp. Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-92412-36-5 / Catalá: 978-84-92412-37-2

See the author's biography
See the illustrator's biography

My lost stories

Xan López Domínguez

«Sometimes my lost stories come out and take flight, stories that sleep in me. Stories about wizards, about wizards with dragons, about friendly dragons, about sad dragons. Or the story of a shepherd lying on the grass who thinks he sees a goat flying over the bell tower.»

The delightful stories in this book lead the reader into a world that combines in equal measure both imagination and beautiful illustration. Taking the stories which are lodged in his memory, Xan López Domínguez has created a book that emanates with a profound sensibility, and which takes its place alongside his best works.

Xan López nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize 2010.

Age 6 and up; 210 x 280 mm; 24 pp. Hardback
ISBN: 978-84-92412-32-7 Català: 978-84-92412-33-4

See the author's biography

Xan López Domínguez

Lugo, 1957



Studied History of Art at the University of Santiago de Compostela. He has illustrated over three hundred works, winning numerous prizes, such as the Bratislava Biennale Shield (1991), the Illustrator of the Year prize at the Bologna-UNICEF book fair (1993), the Malba Tahon prize awarded by the Brazilian Federation for Children’s and Young People’s Literature -IBBY (1994).He featured in the IBBY List of Honour in Berlin (1992) and the official selection for the Exhibition of the Bologna book fair (1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994).

Published titles:
My lost stories

Cisneros, Satie...

Ramon takes a walk

Ramón

Jesús Cisneros

«Along the road comes Ramón. Each Sunday he takes the same route. Early in the morning the orange shadow of his umbrella appears on the path. He likes to imagine that he is a ship with its sails unfurled, sailing towards the park.»

One morning, when it isn’t raining, Ramón goes out with his umbrella up. Everything he comes across on the way has a delicate magic about it: the people, the woods, the autumn and, eventually, the rain. A book in which narrative and illustrations combine to create a serene and profound poetry.

Jesús Cisneros, winner of the prestigious Lazarillo Prize for Illustration 2007

Age 6 and up; 210 x 280 mm; 24 pp. Hardback

See the author's biography
See the illustrator's biography

Jesús Cisneros

Zaragoza, 1969



He studied illustration at the School of Art in Zaragoza. He has published, among other titles, Marieta (Pirineo, 1999); El castillo de Irás and No Volverás (Imaginarium, 2002); Papá tenía un sombrero (Anaya, 2006); Las palabras del agua (Anaya, 2008). His work has won the City of Alicante Illustrated Comic Book Second Prize (2006) and the Lazarillo Illustration Prize (2007). In 2008 Jesús Cisneros was selected for the international illustration exhibition of the Bologna Book Fair.

Published titles:
Ramón

Story of the Parrot's Resurrection

Eduardo Galeano



Antonio Santos (sculptures)

«The man recovered his speech,
and explained that the parrot had drowned
And the girl had cried and the orange had undressed
And the fire had gone out and the wall had lost a stone.»

The death of the parrot saddened everyone: a girl, an orange, the fire, the wind... Their sadness was so great that news spread up to the heavens. How could happiness ever return? A legend from North East Brazil about death and rebirth, which Eduardo Galeano tells in simple words to create a profound, magical tale. Sculptures by Antonio Santos add extraordinary visual beauty to the story.

(Read the review published in Babelia here)

Age 6 and up; 210 x 280 mm; 24 pp. Hardback

See the author's biography
See the illustrator's biography