"With nearly 60 million Americans identifying as Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is a fast-growing, untapped market for children’s stories from Latin America. Tapioca Stories is a new children’s book publisher that aims to fill that demand." 

“The art, by Ana Penyas, is stunning, full of pattern and texture and riotous color. Some characters’ heads are brightly painted; some are collaged photos. There are all kinds of hairstyles, skin colors, ages and body types. Ms. Marta seems attuned to everything…We should all be the kind of old lady who waves at little kids, practices belly breathing, appreciates animal print. And we should all get to grow old in a world that looks out for us…"

"Would you like to take a look at an Argentinian import? ... This playful, offbeat tale of connection with one’s neighbors, filled as it is with endearing characters, is visually striking with its monochromatic palette and occasional touches of vivid red. Frankel gets creative with her composition choices, as we see the elevator on the move; in one case, it rises and the top of an illustration is lopped off." 

"Today I'm sharing an interview Brazilian illustrator, architect, and muralist (among other things) Andrés Sandoval about The Invisible, written by Alcides Villaça. You'll see below how each one of those descriptors informs the way Andrés creates his illustrations, and it was so interesting to peek behind the curtain (or red vinyl in this case) to see how Andrés balanced a dual narrative. "

"I got a chance recently to talk to Mariana Alcántara about her illustration process for Swimmers, written by María José Ferrada and translated by Kit Maude. Mariana uses heavy white space and a primary color palette to bring Ferrada's humorous and thoughtful words to life on the page. Enjoy our chat!"

“It’s not every day that I have the opportunity to write about a children’s book based on the imaginative possibilities of elevators... If you are reading The Elevator with children (adults may enjoy it on their own), you could raise some of these questions with them, along with ones about imagination and reality, which typically intersect in children’s minds.  This elevator rewards more than one ride.”

“Quiere introducir diversidad que falta dada la escasez de traducciones en literatura y lectura infantil. ‘Hay libros traducidos con una narrativa diferente pero la mayoría son de Europa y falta el tipo de narrativa, las historias y humor latinoamericano …’”

"On September 22, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art hosted New York-based publisher Tapioca Stories for a conversation with their award-winning Latin American authors and illustrators Andrés Sandoval, Mariana Alcántara, and Guilherme Karsten." 

"The 2021 Outstanding International Books list honors all of these titles for meeting their readers where they are, for taking them to places they can only imagine, and for bringing the world closer to home." A Global Community of Readers

"I am thrilled to come back from my July hiatus with a book that features a wordless, highly-visual argument between two complementary colors. Okay, that's not exactly what Disagreement is about, BUT you can definitely see why I was immediately drawn to it! I got a chance to talk to Nani Brunini about her illustration and story processes for this beautiful picture book that takes something messy like a disagreement and shows the beauty that can come from it. Enjoy our conversation!"

"…a picture book about old women, perfect for both young and older readers… the neighborhood is full of predictably helpful residents, young and old… both imaginative and brutally honest… Children will wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Marta that lives, like socks, are elastic."

"Aaahhh! by Guilherme Karsten and translated by Eric M. B. Becker is a funny picture book with a surprise ending that you will both see and not see coming! I got to talk to in-demand author-illustrator Guilherme about the book and his process over the years. Enjoy a (spoiler-free!)"

"…a gently absurdist excursion that turns a human wish—Olympic swimmers/ dream that they’re fish—on its head…Debut creator Alcántara imagines an alternate universe of Olympic training that brims with quiet humor. Humans, fish, and droll human-fish hybrids smudged in lithograph-like grays stroke and kick and plunge through white pages that function visually as water. But instead of Olympian strength and endurance, the artist’s sly underwater civilization is driven by creativity, invention, and hope.”

"Tapioca Stories: a new children’s book publisher with Latin American soul" 

"Two picture books and a graphic novel treat swimming as an expansive state of being, slippery with promise. They entice young readers of various ages to interact with the world in unconventional ways. The idea for 'Swimmers' began with charcoal, collage and fluorescent ink artwork by Mariana Alcántara, to which María José Ferrada added poetic fragments that tell a fanciful story about fish dreaming of becoming Olympic swimmers, and Olympic swimmers dreaming that they’re fish." 

"In May, illustrator Guilherme Karsten promoted a tour in the United States to promote his book Aaahhh! launched in the U.S. by Tapioca Sories, on March 2022.

On Saturday, the 14th, the author visited the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, in Amherst, Massachusetts. On Sunday, the 15th, the artist participated in an exhibition at the Big Apple with the support of the Brazilian Consulate in New York."

"I recently spoke to Natalia Aguerre about her work on the beautifully quirky There's a Monster in the Kitchen, written by Patricia Strauch and translated by Kit Maude. I'm so excited to share some of her insights into creating picture books! I hope you enjoy our chat, and don't worry, there are no monsters at the end of this interview!"

"In recent years, a proliferation of books in translation for children and young adults has brought imaginative stories from around the world to new readers. We’re speaking with some of the extraordinary publishers who make these books possible about their experience working in this vital field. For the eighth installment in the series, we spoke with Yael Berstein, founder of Tapioca Stories."

“Today I'm sharing an interview with award-winning Argentinian illustrator Yael Frankel. Yael's debut book in the United States is The Elevator, and it was such a thrill talking to her about this book and what she has in store for us next. Enjoy!”

Around The world | 43

Featuring The Elevator by Yael Frankel.

Brightness Magazine No 20 - Digital Journal of Illustration