Project Description
Open Letter to the Leaders of the WorldMaria Inês Almeida
Portugal
Maria Inês Almeida writes children’s books and young adult fiction. She has a degree in journalism from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and was awarded the Revelation Prize by the Portuguese Journalists Club in 2005. Inspired by her children, she has published around 65 books up to now, mostly aimed at the lower and middle elementary grades.
Many of Almeida’s books address serious topics, such as the importance of protecting our Planet Earth, doing so in a humorous way. Among these books are the A GIRL LIKE YOU series and OPEN LETTER TO THE LEADERS OF THE WORLD, the latter written together with Flávia Lins e Silva. WHEN I GROW UP was shortlisted for the Best Children’s Book Award of the Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA) in 2011, and together with DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PARENTS MET?, it was included in the list of 100 Books for the Future presented by Portugal as Guest of Honour at the Bologna Book Fair in 2012. So far, Almeida’s books have already been translated into many languages, including Chinese, English, German, and Spanish.
She wrote a weekly column on children’s TV programmes for the leading Portuguese daily newspaper Correio da Manhã and another one about parenting for the Sunday edition of the same newspaper. Almeida also collaborated with the Portuguese public TV channel RTP 2 on a programme called Diário XS with news from around the world for children.
For further information, please visit: http://mariainesalmeida.pt/
© Private//
If One Day… Copyright Explained for the Youngest
If One Day… Copyright Explained for the Youngest (“Se Um Dia… Os direitos de autor explicados aos mais jovens”) is a book that explains to children, in an original way and through various examples, that if one day a work is born from their head (and heart!), then it will have copyright. So that they never forget that those who create works have rights. But may the right to be free and happy always be the most important.
Published with the support of the Cultural Fund of the Portuguese Society of Authors.
//
The Mystery of the Stinky Sock
There are many socks, but terribly smelly like this… there is only one! Who could it belong to? One of the residents in Matilde‘s building? She, a six-year-old girl, and Chouriço, her faithful dog, are going to find out who owns this stinky sock. The Mystery of the Stinky Sock (»O Mistério da Meia Malcheirosa«) is a wonderful race of words through colours. A mysterious and amusing book about a neighbourhood full of quirks and magic.
//
With Plasters Everything Will Be All Right
There are days when it seems everything happens! So say Matilde and her inseparable companion Chouriço. One day, they go out to play in the park and, inevitably, the little girl gets hurt. She quickly puts a plaster on her knee to „treat“ the wound. There’s nothing plasters cannot cure. They help to hide the pain and soon everything goes away. – Through an amusing story, with images that are fun for children, With Plasters Everything Will Be All Right (»Com Pensos Tudo Passa«) teaches the parts of the body and the precautions needed while playing.
//
Open Letter to the Leaders of the World
Sofia, a 12-year-old girl who is worried about the challenges faced by our planet, decides to write a letter to the leaders of the world. In a good-natured and poetic style, Sofia writes about a variety of questions, attempting to diagnose what is wrong with the planet. She knows that there are many problems that could have sent the world to the ICU. But she is a dreamer, and she offers solutions.
Open Letter to the Leaders of the World (“Carta aos Líderes do Mundo”) seeks to give a voice to the children who know the Earth is screaming out for help.
English book trailer: https://teloseditora.com.br/
//
The Little Book of Life
They say life is many things and in it many things pass. They transform, go away. Sleep ends. A small wound heals. There are comings and goings. Happy moments and others that make us cry. Life is our history; it is memory that will last forever. The Little Book of Life (“O Pequeno Livro da Vida”) is a short illustrated book, pure and very delicate, for all readers, aged from 0 to 100.
//
The Little Book of Empathy
They say empathy is the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes. But even a simple smile can be empathy.
In a time when it’s becoming increasingly urgent to care about each other, this book reminds parents and children that it’s possible for us to wake up to the human side and feel peace when we are able to understand the emotions and behaviours of the ones around us. For children to read with their parents… and feel empathy.
The Little Book of Empathy (“O Pequeno Livro da Empatia”) is a book for all ages. Because there is no age to understanding and being aware of others.
//
Homeless
For children, homelessness is diffcult to understand at first. In this sensitively written book, a little boy of four discovers that homeless people do not sleep on the streets by choice, but lead diffcult lives and have fallen into poverty for many different reasons. For example, Mr. Antonio used to have many pets, he studied and worked until life took an unexpected turn. Homeless people have no house to protect them from rain, heat or wind and no bed to stretch out on after a long day. Many of them are all alone. Ready to help, the little boy hands out food, warm clothes and, above all, kind, loving words to the homeless people. Homeless (»Sem Abrigo«) is a thoughtful plea for more charity and less looking the other way in our society.
//
Diary of a Girl Like You
Being a 9-year-old girl can be a lot harder than it looks. Desperately trying not to die of boredom, Francisca decides to open the diary she was given a thousand years ago by a great-aunt and start writing by hand, as if humanity returned to prehistory! But a miss is as good as a mile, right?
Diary of a Girl Like You (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu”) emerges as a wake-up call to the environmental awareness of young people. A fun book series that talks about causes.
//
Do You Know series
The first two titles of a new series that aims to bring parents and children closer together.
Do You Know You Can also Scold Your Parents? (“Sabes que também Podes Ralhar com os Teus Pais?”) teaches children that they too have the right to be angry when their parents don’t “behave themselves”: when they don’t recycle the rubbish; when they don’t have the patience to listen to their children’s stories; when instead of playing they just want to read the newspaper; when they work a lot and come home late; when they watch television at mealtimes because they have to see “something” (but their children can’t), etc.
Beautifully illustrated by Paulo Galindro, this is a book for parents to learn that sometimes their children are right to scold them. But not aloud… of course!
Do You Know Where Your Parents Met? (“Sabes Onde É que os Teus Pais se Conheceram?”) is a book that will leave children curious to find out what happened the first time their parents saw each other, and to encourage them to tell the story of how they fell in love.
Parents, on the other hand, will be able to remember that magic moment and share it with their children and, who knows, even find their own story in this book. Was it at a football match? At the petrol station, while filling up the car? Buying tickets for the concert of their favourite band? A handful of love stories illustrated in an original and emotional way by Paulo Galindro.
RIGHTS
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
PANDA series
Panda and the SuperVets: A Bottle for the Zebra (“Panda e os SuperVets: Um biberão para a zebra”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; Ill. by Mariana Ostanik)
Porto: Porto Editora 2023, 16 p.
Panda and the SuperVets: Pain up High! (“Panda e os SuperVets: Dor nas alturas!”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; Ill. by Mariana Ostanik)
Porto: Porto Editora 2023, 16 p.
Panda and the SuperVets: The Plastered Turtle (“Panda e os SuperVets: A tartaruga engessada”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; Ill. by Mariana Ostanik)
Porto: Porto Editora 2023, 16 p.
Panda and the SuperVets: The Magic Peacock Feathers (“Panda e os SuperVets: As penas mágicas do pavão”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; Ill. by Mariana Ostanik)
Porto: Porto Editora 2023, 16 p.
If One Day… Copyright Explained for the Youngest (“Se Um Dia … Os direitos de autor explicados aos mais jovens”)
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Porto: Porto Editora 2023, 24 p.
Guardian Angel (“Anjo da Guarda”)
(Ill. by Hélder Teixeira Peleja)
Prior Velho: Missionário Filhas De S.Paulo (Paulinas Editora)
Mother, I Can’t Go to Bed Yet… (“Mãe, Ainda Não Posso Ir Dormir…”)
(Ill. by Paulo Galindro)
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2022, 40 p.
With Plasters Everything Will Be All Right (“Com Pensos Tudo Passa”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; ill. by David Pintor, winner of the Andersen Prize 2015)
Lisbon: Minotauro 2022, 32 p.
Brazil: Editora Globo 2023
The Mystery of the Stinky Sock (“O Mistério da Meia Malcheirosa”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; ill. by David Pintor, winner of the Andersen Prize 2015)
Lisbon: Minotauro 2022, 40 p.
Brazil: Editora Globo 2023
Open Letter to the Leaders of the World (“Carta aos Líderes do Mundo”)
(Together with Flávia Lins e Silva; ill. by Fabio Miraglia)
São Paulo: Telos 2022, 37 p. (Portuguese and English editions; English rights only in Brazil); Porto: Porto Editora 2022, 2023
Argentina: la marca editora (Spanish world rights) · Armenia: Antares 2023 Azerbaijan: Libra Kitab Italy: Mondadori Libri 2023
THE LITTLE BOOK series
The Little Book of Empathy (“O Pequeno Livro da Empatia”)
(Ill. by Cátia Vidinhas)
Lisbon: Livros Horizonte 2022, 32 p.
The Little Book of Life (“O Pequeno Livro da Vida”)
(Ill. by Sérgio Condeço)
Lisbon: Livros Horizonte 2020, 32 p.
Homeless (“Sem Abrigo”)
(Ill. by Cátia Vidinhas)
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2019, 32 p.
Complete English working translation available
Germany: Knesebeck 2021
A GIRL LIKE YOU series
Diary of a Girl Like You: Am I Dreaming? (“Diário de uma miúda como tu: Estarei a sonhar?”) #14
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2024, 160 p.
Diary of a Girl Like You: Almost There! (“Diário de uma miúda como tu: Quase a chegar!”) #13
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2024, 144 p.
Diary of a Girl Like You: Surprise! (“Diário de uma miúda como tu: Surpresa!”) #12
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 5th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2023, 152.
Brazil: Telos
Diary of a Girl Like You: Period (“Diário de uma miúda como tu: Apareceu!”) #11
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 3rd edition
Voted one of The Best Books of 2023 by Portuguese journal Visão Junior
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2023, 128p.
Brazil: Telos
Diary of a Girl Like You: Father’s House, Mother’s House (“Diário de uma miúda como tu: Casa do pai, casa da mãe”) #10
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 3rd edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2022, 152 p.
Brazil: Telos
Diary of a Girl Like You: Really?! (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: A Sério?!”) #9
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 3rd edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2022, 152 p.
Brazil: Telos
Diary of a Girl Like You: Wake Up, Francisca! (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Acorda, Francisca!”) #8
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 3rd edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2021, 152 p.
Brazil: Telos 2022
Diary of a Girl Like You: No Drama, Please! (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Sem Dramas, Please!”) #7
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 4th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2021, 128 p.
Brazil: Telos 2022
Diary of a Girl Like You: Tick Tack Tock (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Tique Taque Toque”) #6
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 4th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2020, 144 p.
Brazil: Telos 2021
Diary of a Girl Like You: Neither Feet nor Head (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Sem Pés nem Cabeça”) #5
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 5th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2020, 128 p.
Brazil: Telos 2021
Diary of a Girl Like You: Head in the Clouds (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Cabeça nas Nuvens”) #4
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 5th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2020, 160 p.
Brazil: Telos 2021
Diary of a Girl Like You: Back to School (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Volta às Aulas”) #3
(Ill. by Manel Cruz)
Already in its 4th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2019, 192 p.
Brazil: Telos 2021
Diary of a Girl Like You: Vacations! (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu: Férias!”) #2
(Ill. by Catarina Bakker)
Already in its 7th edition
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2019, 184 p.
Brazil: Telos 2020
Diary of a Girl Like You (“Diário de uma Miúda Como Tu”) #1
(Ill. by Catarina Bakker)
Lisbon: Nuvem de Letras (PRH) 2019, 152 p.
English sample translation (of half of the book) available
Already in its 11th edition
Brazil: Telos 2019 · Mexico: Ediciones Castillo 2023
The Last Tree (“A última árvore”)
(Ill. by Sebastião Peixoto)
Lisbon: Planeta 2013, 64 p.
DO YOU KNOW series
Do You Know You Can also Scold Your Parents? (“Sabes que também Podes Ralhar com os Teus Pais?”)
(Ill. by Paulo Galindro)
Lisbon: Booksmile (PRH) 2011, 32 p.
Do You Know Where Your Parents Met? (“Sabes Onde É que os Teus Pais se Conheceram?”)
(Ill. by Paulo Galindro)
Lisbon: Booksmile (PRH) 2011, 32 p.
