Valeria - by Margarita del Mazo (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Valeria habâia aprendido muchas cosas en el colegio. Sabâia de nâumeros, letras y colores. Andaba mucho en las nubes, pero su timidez la hacâia caminar mirando al suelo hasta que un dâia levantâo la mirada para enfrentarse al viento. Entonces, descubriâo aquello que nunca habâia visto." -- Back cover.

Book Synopsis

Sometimes fear and shyness can isolate us from the world. This tender story, printed on stone paper, reminds us of the importance of believing in yourself and in true friendship.

Valeria is a little bunny who loves learning new things and go to school. She has a great time counting all the fingers of her hand and pronouncing the names of the colors of a sparkling rainbow. However, Valeria is very very shy and she tries not to stand down by speaking softly that hardly anyone could hear her. She didn't know the power that was in her laugh, and she held it in, so it wouldn't escape, the strength of her hugs and her kisses, which she kept all to herself.

Valeria always walked looking down at the ground, and that's why she never stumbled! She recognized all of her classmates not by their faces... but by their shoes! But when she least expects it, her inseparable hat flies away, and then Valeria is forced to look up and watch everything that she had missed up to that moment.

A veces el miedo y la timidez nos aíslan del mundo. Esta hermosa historia, impresa en papel de piedra, nos recuerda la importancia de creer en uno mismo y en la verdadera amistad.

Valeria es una pequeña conejita que le encanta aprender e ir a la escuela. Se lo pasa en grande contando con todos los dedos de su mano y decir en voz alta los nombres de los colores que conforman el arcoíris. Sin embargo, Valeria es muy muy tímida y por eso intenta llamar la atención lo menos posible y hablar bajito para que no la oigan. No sabía el poder que tenía su risa y la sujetaba con firmeza para no dejarla escapar, ni tampoco conocía la fuerza que llevaban su beso y su abrazo, por eso los mantenía bien guardados.

Valeria siempre caminaba mirando al suelo ¡y por eso nunca tropezaba! Conocía a todos sus compañeros de clase no por sus caras... ¡sino por sus zapatos! Pero cuando menos se lo espera, su inseparable sombrero echa a volar, y entonces Valeria se ve obligada a echar la vista hacia arriba y contemplar todo lo que se había perdido hasta ese momento.

Review Quotes

"A sweet tribute to childhood, those years of naivety and happiness, when there are still no obstacles to innocence; an emotional and singular tale, edited with the usual good taste of Cuento de Luz." --Canal Lector

"Valeria is a text written with care and delicacy by one of the most important writers of the Spanish Children's Literature: Margarita del Mazo." --Juani Velilla

About the Author

Margarita del Mazo is a Spanish storyteller and award-winning writer born in a small town in the province of Toledo. She studied Law, although her path was twisted into the wonderful world of stories and picture books. She currently teaches workshops on storytelling, creative writing, reading encouragement, theater for children, etc. She collaborates with institutions such as the Cervantes Institute, the Reina Sofía National Museum, the ABC Museum, the Thyssen Museum, the Community of Madrid, Castilla La Mancha, the Andalusian Center for Letters, the Casa del Lector (Matadero), town halls, hospitals, festivals (BITA, Etnosur, Hay Festival), storytelling marathons such as the one in Guadalajara, the Parla Cuenta Festival, as well as centers, schools, nursery schools, libraries and other entities. Her first book was released in 2009 and since then she has published 23 books, some of which have been translated into up to twelve languages. Many of her books have received prestigious national and international awards.

Spanish illustrator Ester García was born in Cáceres in 1984. For as long as she can remember, she has always loved tales and children's books. After graduating in Fine Arts at the University of Salamanca, she moved to Madrid to continue her studies of Design in New Technologies Professional Centre (CICE). She has also taken part in several illustration courses and workshops. Ester paints mostly with pencil, watercolors and acrylics.