Foreign Rights Catalogue 2019 - takatuka.cat

Dear Publishers, dear Editors, dear Agents,

We publish books on subjects that children and adolescents find in their everyday lives, books in which they recognize themselves and their problems, books that help them to work out their issues, books that are fun and full of imagination. We hold translation rights for all titles mentioned in this catalogue. If you are interested in any of these books, we would be delighted to send you a reading copy or a pdf and the English rough translation. You can find more information at www.takatuka.cat.Please do not hesitate to contact us or our agency.Best regards

Patric de San Pedro [email protected] Patricia [email protected]

MUNDT AGENCYAnja MundtKolhagenstr. 38 40593 Düsseldorf Germany

[email protected]

Foreign Rights Catalogue 2019

Author: Alex NoguésIllustrator: Bea EnríquezTitle: This book is not for you

Catalan title: Aques llibre NO ÉS per a tuFrom 3 years on32 pages, hard-cover, 23 x 17,5 cmTopics: books, courage, adventures, fears, monsters, pirates

World rights available

The friends of our heroine warn her not to open this book, not to turn another page. But she ignores this wise advice and decides to face the dangers that lie in wait for her on each new page: disgusting aliens, bloodthirsty pirates, hungry crocodiles, mutant snails...

A book full of adventures and incredible situations suitable only for intrepid children and, above all, very very brave ones.

Alex Nogués (Barcelona, 1976) is a hydro-geologist and also studied nutrition. He is the father of two small children. He says it’s the best job he’s ever had. He likes bugs – all kinds of bugs – and also reading. He also likes to write, as well. Little by little, his original stories are being recognized in the publishing scene.

Bea Enríquez (Madrid, 1982) studied Illustration at the Madrid School of Arts and Crafts No. 10. Since 2014 she has been writing her own stories and is fully dedicated to the production of illustrated stories, graphic novels and any type of project that needs a creative mind. In 2018 she won the International Graphic Novel Prize at FNAC-Salamandra Graphic with ¿Dónde estás?.

¡que te robarán tustesoros y te tirarán

por la borda!

O quizás…

… con una tropa dePIRATAS SANGUINARIOS,

New title

Author: Mireia SánchezIllustrator: LitosTitle: Litos can’t sleep

Catalan title: En Litus no pot dormirFrom 4 years on32 pages, hard-cover, 22,5 x 22,5 cmTopics: monsters, insomnia, cats, games, friendship


Litos walks around all day sleeping in corners here and there. It’s because of the monster in the closet. The problem is not that he is afraid of it, but that the closet monster gets bored all day long. At night, when Litos goes to bed, it comes out of the closet with a monstrous desire to speak, and doesn’t let Lito go to sleep. Mimi, Litos’ friend, has a good idea: the wardrobe monster needs a friend to play with during the day. So they introduce it to Casacabel, Litos’ cat. The two have a great time, but things don’t always go as expected.

Mireia Sánchez (Barcelona, 1968) has dedicated more than 25 years to the publication of teaching materials for early childhood education. She is a translator and author of children’s literature. She is also a visual artist, and teaches the Mimi and Litus creative workshops for children.

Carles Puig (Litos) (Barcelona, 1972) has founded several creation studios, the last of which is Litosfera. He has collaborated in the production of children’s stories, textbooks, comics and graphic humor, and has created characters for children’s animation series. As a visual artist, he also teaches the Mimi and Litus creative workshops with Mireia.

New title

Author: Margarita del MazoIllustrator: Fernando Pérez HernandoTitle: The Scream

Spanish title: El grito From 4 years on32 pages, hard-cover, 20 x 27 cmTopics: monsters, fear, night, games


A chilling scream cuts across the night. In the heart of the forest, a cowardly Count Dracula comes to an isolated house seeking help. The man who lives in this house understandingly takes him in. After a short while, a frightened witch comes, followed by the ferocious wolf, Frankenstein and the Cyclops. There, they will all find refuge together. But, which horrific monster are they running from?A tale of monsters that won’t haunt your sleep.

The role reversal turns terrible monsters into terrified monsters. The repetition of scenes with characters from scary stories, who knock on the door terrified, will make the little ones laugh, and spark their curiosity. And the ending, which is surprising, will surely give them a complicit laugh.

Fernando Pérez Hernando (Valladolid, 1973) studied illustration at the Valladolid School of Applied Arts and Design. He completed his training at several engraving and illustrated album workshops. Since 2012, he has been working in his own project, FerezEstudio. He also teaches illustration workshops for children.

Margarita del Mazo teaches workshops in narration, creative writing, animated reading, theatre for children, and others. In 2009 she published her first story book. Since then, she has published more than twenty, which have been translated into 12 different languages. She won the Lazarillo prize for illustrated album, and the Illustrated Album award of the Booksellers Guild of Madrid.

New title

The artists of this circus share a secret: despite their triumphs in the arena, everyone dreams of doing other acts. The clown would love to get on the trapeze, the trapeze artist dies for juggling, the juggler dreams of being the human cannonball and the human cannonball would like to walk on a rope several meters above the ground. Luckily, among the troupe there is a girl who also has a secret: she would like to be the ringleader.

“What do you think about us starting a circus where each of our dreams comes true?” she proposes.

And that’s how, helping one another, “Our circus” was born. The day of the premiere not everything went perfectly, but the members of the company were able, finally, to be who they wanted to be.

Fran Nuño is a writer, cultural promoter and bookseller-editor. He has received several mentions and distinctions in important competitions both for his literary work and for his work to encourage reading. In 2013 he got an award in Michigan (USA) for Fair Lights, and in 2017, one in New York (USA) for The Good Times Map.

He is the author of more than thirty books published into numerous languages.

Anna Aparicio was born in Barcelona in 1991. She has a degree in Fine Arts (specialization in drawing) from the University of Barcelona, studied illustration at the Escola de la Dona in Barcelona, and has completed a Master’s degree in Children’s and Young People’s Books and Literature at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2014). At Takatuka, she has also published Tantrums and The Toad and the Children.

Author: Fran NuñoIllustrator: Anna AparicioTitle: Our Circus

Spanish title: Nuestro circo56 pages, hardcover, 24 x 24 cmFrom 4 years onTopics: circus, roles, self-esteem, personal fulfillment, cooperation


New title

Author: Pandora Mirabilia and Camila Monasterio Illustrator: Irene CuestaTitle: A story of its own. Stories to listen and

read, heroines to discover (Activist series)

Spanish title: Un cuento propio. Historias para escuchar y leer, heroínas por descubrir

64 pages, hardcover, 17 x 24 cm (CD included)From 6 years onTopics: women, activism, biographies, books, environmentalism, gender equality


These five stories, based on biographies of real women, will allow us to know the story of Alia Muhammad Baqer, who managed to save Basra’s library from the bombings during the invasion of Iraq; the life of Harriet Tubman, who helped end slavery in the United States; the struggle of Concepción Arenal in Spain, for getting women to be allowed to attend university; the incredible experience of Gaura Devi and the Chipko movement in India, which managed to stop the indiscriminate felling of trees; and the power of art at the service of women’s rights with Mujeres Creando in Bolivia.

Pandora Mirabilia is a work cooperative formed by women with a feminist and interdisciplinary perspective. The team is formed by a sizable group of writers and journalists who, encouraged by their experience in the classroom and parenting, decided to write and edit their own stories. Camila Monasterio combines dedication to biology with the passion for music. Keyboardist, singer and composer, she composed the soundtrack for A story of its own and is coauthor of the stories of this project.

Irene Cuesta has been an illustrator for the press, scientific dissemination and a variety of other projects since 2002. She is a graphic and editorial designer. She is a specialist in pedagogical uses of the visual arts, and in scientific and science educational dissemination and illustration, as well as in press illustration intended to build critical thinking.

Author: Roser Rimbau Illustrator: Rocío ArayaTitle: The Letter

Catalan title: La carta 40 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 26 cm From 6 years on Topics: migration, family, daily life,

memories, drawing


The White Ravens 2018100 books recomended by the FundaciónCuatrogatos Price 2019

A sheet of paper blown in with a sand storm comes into the hands of Moussa. He immediately thinks of making a drawing of Thille Boubacar for his father, who lives abroad. But the entire village won’t fit in a single sheet. Moussa embarks on a tour of different scenes of daily life in this Senegalese village to decide what his father would most like to see, but it’s difficult for him to make a decision. Luckily, he can count on the help of his friend Mariama.Original drawings that were created by the children of Thille Boubacar have been incorporated among the illustrations.

Roser Rimbau was born in Girona in 1968. She is a former journalist, former corrector and former percussionist, but she has no such plans to stop writing for children. In 2006 she received the publishing house La Galera’s Comte Kurt award for En Naïm s’ha descolorit (Naïm has lost color). Takatuka also published her story, El Gol (The Goal) and Cuando el hombre más fuerte del mundo se pone al teléfono, todo el mundo lo confunde con la tía Encarna (When the strongest man in the world answers the phone, everyone thinks he’s auntie Encarna).

Rocío Araya was born in Bilbao in 1982. She studied Fine Arts at the University of the Basque Country and completed a master’s degree in Education. She studied on her own and thus trained herself to be an illustrator. Se has published in several Spanish publishing houses and in the Swiss publisher Notari. Her work has been selected for more than twenty exhibitions in Spain, France, Chile, Italy and Portugal.

Author: Fran Pintadera Illustrator: Txell DarnéTitle: Any Old Mountain Spanish title: Una montaña cualquiera 40 pages, hardcover, 28 x 24 cm From 6 years on Topics: cohabitation, war, conflict resolution,

dialogue Rights sold to Germany

The inhabitants at the top of the mountain live happily in their village, where they enjoy the sun and the cool breeze; they believe their village is truly the best of them all. The neighbors in the town at the foot of the mountain are also proud of their village; they enjoy the river that runs alongside their houses and the crops that are possible because of it. They are convinced that their village is the best of them all.The two villages are preparing for the celebration of their respective festivities, but an incident during the celebrations bring on an absurd confrontation of bellic proportions.

Fran Pintadera was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1982. Soon after, he packed his bags and they have been a part of his life ever since. He studied Social Education and Psychological Pedagogy. He is an oral narrator; he tells stories and writes them, sometimes in that order, someti-mes the other way around. At Takatuka we have also published Mars, an Elephant From Another Planet.

Txell Darné (Banyoles, 1980) has a degree in Art and Design from the Massana School of Barce-lona, with a specialization in Illustration. In 2005, she and Juan Gómez started the “canseixanta” design and illustration studio. She has illustrated numerous children and youth storybooks for se-veral different publishers, and collaborates on the Cavall Fort and BarçaKids magazines, among others. Currently she is on the creative team at the Londji toy company.

Author: Susanna Isern Illustrator: Maria GirónTitle: Nine ways to not step in a puddle Spanish title: Nueve formas de no pisar un charco 36 pages, hardcover, 28 x 24 cm From 5 years on Topics: rain, habits, cleaning, games, family

Rights sold to South Korea and Turkey

Wearing new clothes doesn’t have to be incompatible with a stroll in the rain. There is no way she can soil her new clothes, nor her shiny new shoes or white socks. So, she thinks of all sorts of strategies to avoid puddles, which are but traps that block the way. But, in spite of all the careful efforts, she can’t avoid falling into one of them. Drama..! Will they punish her at home? But it can’t be fixed, so maybe it’s better to make the most of the moment and enjoy it.

Susanna Isern is the author of numerous children’s books. She is a psychologist and writer, and currently lives in Santander. The majority of her work is sold internationally and can be found in more than a dozen languages. She was awarded with the Silver Medal at the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards (USA) in 2013.

María Girón was born in Barcelona in 1983. She grew up surrounded by paint brushes, drawing blocks, canvases and clay figures in a fairy tale house in the middle of the forest. Over the years she got a degree in Fine Arts and specialized in illustration at La Llotja de Barcelona art school. She decided to go professional with illustration the day the jury at the 2010 International Childrens’s Book Fair in Bologna selected her to participate in a collective exhibit dedicated to Gianni Rodari.

Author: Joana RaspallIllustrator: Ignasi BlanchTitle: You couldCatalan title: Podries

32 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 26 cmFrom 6 years onTopics: migration, destiny, happiness, war,

solidarity

Rights sold to Brazil, South Korea and Turkey

Selected for the Biennal of Illustrations Bratislava 2017

The color of our skin, our language, food, clothes, games... it could all be different if we had been born in another place. Some things would be better, others worse, but what is for sure is that we are all human beings with common feelings and needs, and no one is immune to unfortunate turns of events. That’s why standing by the ones who are suffering misfortune in any of its forms should be the priority of everyone.This simple reflection in verse about the human condition, addressed to children and adults, is an emo-tive homage to all of those people who have had to abandon their homes against their wishes.

Joana Raspall (1913-2013), author and librarian, is known for her youth and children’s poetry, but she is also the author of children’s plays, narratives for young people and adults, as well as three dic-tionaries of the Catalan language. Her activity to promote the Catalan culture and language have been awarded with, among others, the Generalitat of Catolonia’s “Creu de Sant Jordi.”

Ignasi Blanch works with various publishing houses and does workshops and learning sessions for schools, libraries and associations related to children’s literature. He coordinates Illustration Studies at the Barcelona School of Women. He has received a multitude of awards, such as the 2006 Critica Serra d’Or prize and the 2008 Bookseller’s Prize for Illustrated Album. In 2009 he was selected in the Bratislava Biennial with Alice in Wonderland, and in 2014 with Little Women.

If you had been born in another land,you could be white,you could be black...

Author: Ilan BrenmanIllustrator: Anna AparicioTitle: The toad and the children Portuguese title: O sapo e os meninos 36 pages, hardcover, 20 x 28 cm From 4 years on Topics: animals abuse, games, cleverness

Rights sold to Brazil

Finalist of the Fundación Cuatrogatos Prize 2018

Two very empty-headed, rotten-as-can-be children would spend the whole day running around the rivers and forests surrounding their village. They loved doing terrible things to the animals: throwing stones at birds with a slingshot, placing traps for monkeys, suffocating cats, and cutting dogs’ tails off.They had turned animal abuse into a part of their repertoire of games. But one would have to be pretty dim-witted to take such pleasure in the suffering of others, which is precisely what one very clever toad demonstrates in the story.

Ilan Brenman is considered to be one of the most important children’s book authors in Brazil. He has won several prizes and his work has been translated into numerous languages. Since 1997 he has pu-blished more than 60 books for children and young people. Currently, he travels around Brazil and the world defending the place of high-quality juvenile literature.

Anna Aparicio was born in Barcelona in 1991. She graduated from the University of Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts (major in Drawing), studied illustration at the School of Women in Barcelona, and did a master in Youth and Children’s Books and Literature at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2014) At Takatuka she has also been published with Tantrums (Rabietas).

Author: Carles Sala i Vila Illustrator: Nerina CanziTitle: I have an itch on my neighbor’s noseCatalan title: Em pica el nas de la veïna

36 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 26 cm From 5 years on Topics: friendship, shyness, first love, emotions

Simplified Chinese rights sold

A new family has just moved into the building where Ernest lives. When the family comes over to introduce themselves, Ernest discovers that among the new neighbors is Rosa, a girl his age who immediately provokes in Ernest a very intense and strange itch: her nose itches him; that is, Rosa’s nose itches Ernest. This unexplainable phenomenon makes him so insecure that he tries to avoid his new neighbor in the stairs, on the way to school, even in school. Until one day something happens that he didn’t expect: both of them are in the elevator and the elevator gets stuck.The story of love at first sight.

Carles Sala (Girona, 1974) is the author of numerous works of youth and children’s literature, with which he has won a wide range of awards, such as the Josep Maria Folch i Torres, the Bar-canova, the Vaixell de Vapor or the Guillem Cifre of Colonya. In 2012 he was selected in the White Ravens list of honor for Cornèlius i el rebost d’Impossibles (Cornelius and the Pantry of Impossibles).

Nerina Canzi was born in Argentina. In 1980 she got her degree to be a Drawing and Painting teacher in the Prilidiano Pueyrredón National School of Fine Arts. She worked creating murals and paintings until 2013 when she started to become interested in illustration. She received the National and Latin American Award for Youth and Children’s literature with the illustrations in La hormiguita viajera (The travelling ant) (2015).

Author: Susana Gómez Redondo Illustrator: Sonja Wimmer Title: The day when Saida arrived Spanish title: El día que Saída llegó 36 pages, hardcover, 24 x 22 cm From 5 years on Topics: language, school, friendship, imagination, Morocco, Arabic Rights sold to Germany and Brazil

A tale about a silent encounter: One day, Saida arrives at school - but she doesn’t speak! She comes from another country far away, and it seems as if she had lost all her words along the journey. But her friend and she don’t give up, even though they lack a common language. They discover new ways of understanding each other, gestures, images and touching. Their story is one about friendship and solidarity and knowing that there are different worlds, worlds that can enrich each other if only you are ready to open your eyes and come near.

Susanna Gómez Redondo (Sòria, 1969) gives classes in Spanish Language Teaching in the Soria Uni-versity School of Education, and writes about Children’s and Young People’s Literature in El Norte de Castilla. She is the author of four illustrated compilations, children’s poetry and travel guides. Takatuka has also published Rabietas (Tantrums) and Helio con hache (Helios with an H).

Sonja Wimmer studied graphic design in Munich and illustration in Barcelona, where she works as an illustrator. In 2011 she received the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for the best illustrator and in 2012 the second price of the best picture book of the International Latino Book Awards.

Author: Pep MolistIllustrator: Kim AmateTitle: The Three AnimalsCatalan title: Els tres animals 36 pages, hardcover, 20 x 28 cm From 4 years on Topics: animals, life in the forest, storybooks, writers


Mercè Roureda, a storybook writer who had become world famous with three animal characters — a brickla-yer pig, a journalist mole and a cow who goes hiking — decides to go live in the forest in the hopes of finding inspiration for new characters and new stories. However, life in the forest is not how she had imagined. The three animals live in the forest as they always have, which is disturbing to Mercè and gives her writer’s’ block. But, she overcomes it when she gets the idea for a new tale.

Pep Molist (Manlleu, 1965) is a librarian, author of children’s literature and literary critic. He has written more than 60 titles, which have given him numerous awards, and he is known as much for his works of lite-rary critique as for his stories for children and infants. Currently, he is in charge of the Children’s section of the El Casino Library of Manresa. He is a member of the editorial board of Faristol magazine. In 2014, he started working in the De Capçalera project, whose goal is to strengthen the link between catalan writers and public libraries.

Kim Amate studied illustration, graphic design and painting at the Terrassa School of Applied Arts, the Mas-sana School, and the La Llotja School of Art in Barcelona. He worked as a graphic designer and pre-printing technician until 2009, when he starts in the publishing world as an illustrator, designer and freelance layout designer, mainly for young audiences. In 2009 he won the XXIX Premi Destino — Apel·les Mestres with the album, La Ventana Infinita by Andrés Pi Andreu, the same author of the text of another Takatuka album that Kim Amate illustrated, L’Abella de més.

Author/ Illustrator: Fernando Pérez HernandoTitle: ArmandoSpanish title: Armando 40 pages, hardcover, 18 x 24 cm From 4 years on Topics: football, family, games, hobbies, education


Armando’s dad loves football, and today he gave Armando a very special gift: his first football! It was finally here, the long-awaited day he could share his passion with his son showing him how to play football. But Armando doesn’t show the same enthusiasm as his father nor does he respond to the clichés that are assumed for boys when faced with this famed sphere. It doesn’t seem like Armando has the great shots nor the big blocks in his genes, but he’ll figure out a way to incorporate the ball in his games.. Not suitable for super major football fans!

Fernando Pérez Hernando (Valladolid, 1973). He studied illustration in the Valladolid School of Applied Arts and Design. He completed his studies in engraving and illustrated album wor-kshops. He created design projects for reprography and communication enterprises until 2005, when he took part in the creation of a design studio. Since 2012 he’s been working on his own project, FerezEstudio, devoted to design and illustration. He also does illustration workshops for children. Armando is his forth children’s album. Before this he had published Conducir es fácil (Driving is easy), La escalera roja (The red staircase) and Boca arriba (Face up).

Author/ Illustrator: Ximo AbadíaTitle: When the Cows FloatSpanish title: Cuando las vacas flotan

48 pages, hardcover, 21 x 29 cm From 6 years on Topics: caution, liberty, fish, dreams

World rights available The White Ravens 2016

A child comes home with a fish in water inside a plastic bag, that he just won at the fair. He goes to sleep early to enjoy the calm of his fish. The next day, he is woken by the noise of a cow sailing in the sky. He is surprised to discover that everything is starting to float: firemen running around the sky looking for fires from above, the mailman chasing his bicycle, which has taken flight… Everything is floating! Even the boy starts to float. A precious metaphor about the natural order of things and the indestructible force of freedom.

Ximo Abadía (Joaquín Abadía Pérez), a multifaceted illustrator, was born in Alicante in 1983. When he was 18 years old, he left for the adventure of studying in Madrid. In 2011 he published Clonk, which was selected among the best graphic novels by the Los Angeles Times and for which he was nominated revela-tion author in the Barcelona Saló del Cómic, and La bipolaridad del chocolate. In 2012 he was a finalist for the International Graphic Novel Prize Fnac/SinsEntido with La Puerta Amarilla (The Yellow Door). In 2013 he starts in the world of illustrated children’s albums with Bacon and Friends (text by Josep Bus-quet) and De mayor quiero ser pequeño (When I grow up I want to be Little), a success with critics and audience alike, followed by El inventor de pájaros (The Inventor of Birds) and Cómo abrió Don Nicanor el gran circo volador (How Don Nicanor opened the Great Flying Circus, text by Mar Benegas).

Author: Alba Salvador LlopisIllustrator: Ignasi BlanchTitle: The Song of the ScalesCatalan title: La cançó de les balances

36 pages, hardcover, 27,5 x 24 cm From 6 years on Topics: greed, justice, cooperation, power


Once upon a time there was a king who counted and recounted all of his possessions every morning from the window of his castle. Everything he saw was his lands, wells, trees, and houses. All he cared about was the price of things, and not at all about the happiness of the people. When young Ovidi goes to the castle to make a request in the name of the people, the monarch ignores him completely. They need a bridge to cross the river and go to school. The youth, despite the royal rejection, decides to go back to the castle a few days later to sing the king a song to change his attitude.A children’s book inspired by the song written and composed by Josep Maria Carandell, and sung by Ovidi Montllor. Includes the score of la Cançó de les Balançes (the original song’s title in Catalan).

Alba Salvador Llopis has a university degree in Catalan Philology. She has worked as a cultural web page editor, writer and presenter in radio and press, and currently alternates motherhood with giving catalan classes and storybook reading.

Ignasi Blanch works with various publishing houses and does workshops and learning sessions for schools, libraries and associations related to children’s literature. He coordinates Illustration Studies at the Barcelona School of Women. He has received a multitude of awards, such as the 2006 Critica Serra d’Or prize and the 2008 Bookseller’s Prize for Illustrated Album. In 2009 he was selected in the Bratis-lava Biennial with Alice in Wonderland, and in 2014 with Little Women.

Author: Susanna Gómez RedondoIllustrator: ArmandTitle: Helios with an HSpanish title: Helio con hache

40 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 28 cm From 4 years on Topics: family, jealousy, first born


Helios’ arrival in the world generates a lot of curiosity in Estrella, his brother, who observes fascinated by this little person who now forms part of the family. But little by little, fascination turns into suspicion when she sees that Helios has become the center of their parents’ attention, when before, she was that center. He-lios spends his day attached to mom’s breast; mom is often tired and can’t read bedtime stories; there has to be silence when Helios sleeps... Jealousy shows its face as does anger towards this intruder who seems to have turned into the most important thing in the world. A great story about the new baby brother and our place in the world.

Susanna Gómez Redondo (Sòria, 1969) gives classes in Spanish Language Teaching in the Soria Univer-sity School of Education, and writes about Children’s and Young People’s Literature in El Norte de Casti-lla. She is the author of four illustrated compilations, children’s poetry and travel guides. Takatuka has also published El día que Saída llegó (The Day Saida Arrived ) and Rabietas (Tantrums).

Armand (Barcelona, 1978) has studied Graphic Arts and has a higher degree in Illustration. The learning process has taken him down the paths of comics, animation, sculpture and wood, brought to head in the project Mycasitias. In 2015 he received the Critica Serra d’Or prize for the illustrated compilation, Un mitjó diferent a cada peu (A Different Colored Sock on Each Foot).

Kids tend to have mood swings. Absolute Joy and happiness can turn into an attack of rage and a noisy tantrum, the reason for which is often hard to identify in the middle of the commotion. One minute everything is painted pink, and the next there’s tension and the grey clouds roll in and end up unleashing the storm. But storms blow over, and a few words can help dry the tears and turn the frown into the biggest of smiles.

Susanna Gómez Redondo (Sòria, 1969) gives classes in Spanish Language Teaching in the Soria University School of Education, and writes about Children’s and Young People’s Literature in El Nor-te de Castilla. She is the author of four illustrated compilations, children’s poetry and travel guides. Takatuka has also published El día que Saída llegó (The Day Saida Arrived ) and Helio con hache (Helios with an H).

Anna Aparicio was born in Barcelona in 1991. She graduated from the University of Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts (major in Drawing), studied illustration at the School of Women in Barcelona, and did a master in Youth and Children’s Books and Literature at the Autonomous University of Bar-celona (2014) At Takatuka she has also been published with The toad and the children (El sapo y los niños).

Author: Susana Gómez Redondo Illustrator: Anna Aparicio Català Title: Tantrums Spanish title: Rabietas 36 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 26 cm From 4 years on Topics: emotions, habits, moods, dialogue Rights sold to Germany

Every day, the strongest man in the world has to face limitations imposed by his age and height. They confuse him with his Aunt on the telephone; he has to go up to his apartment by the stairs because he can’t reach the elevator button; he gets sick in the car; broccoli terrorizes him; and he hates to get his hair cut.None of this makes him feel less like the strongest man in the world, nor does it lessen his drive to be the bravest fireman of them all.

Roser Rimbau was born in Girona in 1968. She is a former journalist, former proofreader and former percussionist, but there’s one thing she will never even think about giving up: writing for little ones. In 2006, she received the Compte Kurt Award, convened by La Galera publi-shing house, for En Naïm s’ha descolorit (Naïm has faded). She has also written plays for chil-dren for the Möondomussa, Teatre a la Llauna, and Va de Contes theater companies. Takatuka also published her story, El gol (The goal).

Jordi Vidal “Trill” (Girona, 1972) has been drawing ever since he can remember, and has never stopped. He has done illustrations ranging from posters, album art and web pages, to visuals for theater and music groups or animations for television contests. This is his first illus-trated album.

Author: Roser RimbauIllustrator: TrillTitle: When The Strongest Man in the World answers the phone, everyone thinks he’s Auntie EncarnaCatalan title: Quan l’home més fort del món agafa el telèfon, tothom el confon amb la tieta Encarna 32 pages, hardcover, 21 x 21 cm From 4 years on Topics: growing up, fears, self-esteem, family


The Itsallgood Turtle’s routine consists of walking around his island each day looking for that delicious fruit that only he can eat: the prickly pear. He doesn’t let anyone or anything distract him from his mission, nor does he show any interest at all in lives of the rest of the animals, who invite him to share with them their joy and worries.The arrival and proliferation of some very voracious pigs, who have been unleashed on the island as a food reserve for shipwrecked castaways, will put an end to the calm lives of the animals living on the island. It seems as though only the Itsallgood Turtle will be able to go on with his daily routine. A social fable as real as real life.

David Acera is an actor, narrator, director and author. He is the founder of La Vereda Teatro and El Perro Flaco Teatro theatre companies. He has participated in more than 50 theatre company openings, and has worked in cinema and television as well, but it is in the field of children’s and youth theatre that he has worked the most. Moreover, he is the author of numerous children’s stories, and maintains an intense professional dedication in oral narration.

Nanu González studies illustration in the Oviedo School of Art. She began her professional activity in 2010 with the Trabe publishing house. As author and illustrator, she published Circo Alegría in 2013. She collaborates as a cartoonist in newspapers. Since 2011, she has been in charge of graphic design for the Margen theater company.

Author: David AceraIllustrator: Nanu GonzálezTitle: The Itsallgood TurtleSpanish title: La tortuga Todovabién

36 pages, hardcover, 26 x 24 cm From 5 years on Topics: sociability, selfcenteredness, solidarity, turtles, shipwrecked

Rights sold to Germany

Author/ Illustrator: Lilli MessinaTitle: Grandpa and PepeSpanish title: El yayo y Pepe

32 pages, hardcover, 23 x 26 cm From 3 years on Topics: generations, family, elderly people


Pepe likes to hide grandpa’s glasses, cut up his newspaper, and paint his favorite armchair, but if grandpa scolds him, he cries his eyes out until his mother comes. Pepe has fun infuriating grandpa, but grandpa also knows how to infuriate and then act innocent. With more humor than ever, this third and last installment about Pepe and his grandfather serves to reflect the little problems faced by the elderly and little ones living together.

Lilli Messina was born in 1976 in Offenbach am Main, Germany. There she studied in the High Design and Visual Communication School, specialising in book illustration. She has written and illustrated many books that had been published in more than ten different languages. Her works had been exhibited in the Cartoons Museum A. Paul Weber in Hamburg, in the Klingspormuseum in Offenbach, and in the 9th In-ternational Bienal of Illustration in Belgrade.

Author/Illustrator: Lilli MessinaTitle: When grandpa was a kidSpanish title: Cuando el yayo era peque 32 pages, hardcover, 28 x 19 cm From 3 years on Topics: generations, time, family, elderly people Rights sold to Brazil and Denmark Simplified Chinese rights sold

Author/Illustrator: Lilli MessinaTitle: Grandpa is ... Grandpa!Spanish title: ¡El yayo es el yayo! 28 pages, hardcover, 24,5 x 22,5 cm From 3 years on Topics: generations, time, family, elderly people Rights sold to Brazil and Denmark Simplified Chinese rights sold

When grandpa was a child everything was very different. There weren’t so many houses, milk came directly from the cow, everybody knew each other, and cars were pulled by horses. Pepe follows with great interest his grandpa’s explana-tions, but he understands them in his very particular way.

They spoon feed grandpa. Grandpa has a scooter. Gran-dpa causes a lot of commotion. Pep is sure: Grandpa is a baby! But mom doesn’t agree. A book about Pep, his mom, and about old people and little ones. A book about world changes and the crash of two different generations.

Author: Roser RosIllustrator: Francesc RoviraTitle: Quima plays with her shadowCatalan title: La Quima juga amb la seva ombra

Title: Quima has lost her sleepCatalan title: La Quima ha perdut la son 32 pages, paperback, 15 x 18 cm From 4 years on World rights available

Quima plays with her shadow Quima goes for a walk and discovers that there’s so-mething that follows her everywhere, even if she tries to get rid of it: it’s her shadow. This discovery leads her to wonder about the origin and essence of shadows: What are they? What are they made of? Where do they come from? To find out, Quima decides to experiment with shadows using different objects, while her dad takes pictures of her.A story accompanied by a poem and ideas for activities to create shadows of different shapes, sizes and colors.

Roser Ros Vilanova (Barcelona, 1950) is a narrator, writer and Doctor of Pedagogy. She has written versions of tales from the oral tradition and published them in collections that she has co-directed for several publishing houses. She was awarded the National Popular Culture Award in 2010 for her continued work in research and dissemination of contemporary fables and tales. She is the author of texts for infants, and of studies and articles about children’s literature. She has been a professor at the URL since 2008.

Francesc Rovira (Barcelona, 1958) began his professional career doing drawings for flyers, maga-zines and advertisements. His long professional career includes more than three hundred and sixty books, mainly for children and young people, that have been published and translated into several languages. Among the awards he won, the most notable are the two CCEI of Illustration in 2003 and 2004, and the 32nd Apel·les Mestres Award in 2012.

Quima has lost her sleep As much as her parents ask her to, Quima just can’t get to sleep. She’s lost Sleep. Her parents help her look for it, and find it hidden in the comforter. They’ll have to capture this fleeing Sleep if they want Quima to get to sleep. A story accompanied by a poem and complete instructions to build a Sleep-Catcher.

Author: Estela Antín Illustrator: Paco Martínez Title: Humberto the centipede Spanish title: Humberto, el ciempiés 32 pages, hardcover, 17 x 17 cm From 3 years on Topics: centipedes, timeliness, friendship, habits World rights available

Humberto the centipede is always late! His friends are fed up with waiting for him all the time. Now, Humberto is a very busy little animal, but this is not the reason for his being late or seeming to forget an appointment. The reason lies in his physiognomy: Can anyone imagine the difficulty of matching so many pairs of shoes and of tying up hundreds of shoelaces? When his friends give him an ultimatum, he finally confesses, quite ashamed, why he is always late. So his friends decide that the best thing to do is to help Humberto with his big task. Sometimes all it takes is to tell your friends...

Author: Fran Pintadera Illustrator: Javier Gutiérrez Maestro Title: Mars, an elephant from outer space Spanish title: Marte, un elefante de otro planeta 28 pages, hardcover, 17 x 17 cm From 3 years on Topics: elephants, memory, friendship, habits World rights available

A pink bow around her foot reminds Mars every day of something important that he must not forget. But Mars is a forgetful elephant – he has to visit all her friends hoping that one of them can remember the meaning of the pink bow. They are all happy to see him, invite him to eat, but nobody can tell him of what the bow is supposed to remind Mars. Or maybe it is this precisely: that he should start happily into each new day, having a lot of friends to visit.

Author/Illustrator: Estela AntinTitle: A very boring book to fall asleep toSpanish title: Un cuento muy aburrido para quedarse dormido Topics: dreams, fantasy, habits

Title: Where can I hide?Spanish title: ¿Dónde me escondo? Topics: elephants, hide-and-seek, circus 20 pages, hardcover, 15 x 15 cm From 3 years on World rights available

Estela Antín was born in Buenos Aires in 1969. At 22, she came to live in Spain to work as a publicity writer. She is self-taught and has been writing since she was a little girl: tales, poetry, plays and short stories. At Takatuka we have also published her al-bum Humberto, the centipede, illustrated by Paco Martinez.

At night, everyone stops what they’re doing and the silence becomes omnipre-sent. The pirate, the dog, and the girl with the basket; they’re all asleep, except the owl, who stays watch.

An elephant escapes from the circus and doesn’t want anyone to see him. But where should he hide? In a was-hing machine, under a gentleman’s hat, in a matchbox... Anything will work, as long as he is not discovered.

Author: Pere Comellas Illustrator: Teresa Martí Title: We have won the lotery! Catalan title: Ens ha tocat la loteria! 48 pages, paperback, 15 x 18 cm From 6 years on Topics: lottery, money, family, fortune, friendship, wishes Rights sold to South Korea

The family on the 3rd floor, staircase H, apartment 1, won the lottery. The lucky ones! Now they will never have problems again. Or will they?Suddenly they discover that money can make you happy – or not, but it sure does make life more difficult. An amusing story, writ-ten from the little girl’s point of view, who is much surprised by everyone’s reaction: her family’s, the neighbours’, the friends’.

Author: Roser Rimbau Illustrator: Pep Rimbau Title: The goal Catalan title: El gol 44 pages, paperback, 15 x 18 cm From 6 years on Topics: soccer, games, friendship, self-confidence World rights available

Every afternoon Joan and his sister Lola play soccer in the park with their friends. Joan is the youngest, so he has to be the goal kee-per, no choice. But when a penalty in the last minute turns out to bring the decisive point, Tomàs wants to replace Joan. “This one’s too big for you”, he says. But Lola is against the replacement.

Author: Cesc Noguera Illustrator: Raül Gesalí Title: Mrs Maria Catalan title: La senyora Maria 48 pages, paperback, 15 x 18 cm From 6 years on Topics: loneliness, poverty, friendship, comprehension Rights sold to Slovenia

Mrs Maria lives on the streets. In summer, she sits in the shade of some banana trees at the square, telling stories to the birds. When it ra-ins, she makes herself a shed with a shower curtain. The animals are the only living be-ings with whom she shares her memories and affection. But one day, Ennatu hears strange noises from the square and goes to look after Mrs María…

Author/Illustrator: David Granados Niubó Title: Guims’ Spaceship Catalan title: La nau d’en Guim 32 pages, hardcover, 24 x 22 cm From 3 years on Topics: astronauts, space ships, aliens, school, self-confidence, wishes World rights available

Guims’ classmates just laugh at him on his old-fashioned scooter while they outrun him on their mountain bikes. But Guim doesn’t care. His fondest dream is to become an astronaut and to discover faraway galaxies. He spends his days drawing planets, stars, Martians, and spaceships. But one morning, his painting from the evening before has disappeared from his desk. And some days later, he discovers something unbelievable...

In the middle of the mountains there is a school attended only by children who dream awake. There is Fina who dreams that she can breathe under the sea and she has dolphins, sharks and prawns as friends. There is

Joan who dreams that his bed has wings and can fly all night. Even the teacher and the school’s porter dream about a school without walls and class-rooms. These are the rhymed lyrics of the song “Dreamers” by the well-knows singer and song-writer Albert Pla, the central theme of his screen play. “Dreamers” is an invitation to visit a very special kind of school, where pupils and teachers alike live out their imagination and share their ideas and innermost wishes as well as their fears with us.

Author: Albert PlaIllustrator: LiniersTitle: DreamersCatalan title: Somiatruites 40 pages, hardcover, 21 x 21 cm, From 4 years on Topics: school, dreams, wishes, imagination, songs, dreams (come true) Rights sold to Argentina and Uruguay

Author: Mar Benegas Illustrator: Mariona Cabassa Title: Eat it all Spanish title: Cómetelo todo 32 pages, hardcover, 26 x 24 cm From 4 years on Topics: food, habits, obedience, family World rights available

He has to hear “Eat it all up” for the millionth time, face to face with a big full plate of lentils. All the reasons for not eating are all for nothing: “I don’t like them! I’m not hungry! I can’t eat anymore!” But on this occa-sion he decides to do what he’s told, and literally eat it ALL up...A story about the eternal battle of eating, and the need to better measure our words, and especially our orders.

Author: Pi Andreu Illustrator: Kim Amate Title: A bee too much Spanish title: La abeja de más 32 pages, hardcover, 24 x 28 cm, From 5 years on Topics: community, prejudice, solidarity, bees Rights sold to Germany and South Korea The White Ravens 2013, IBBY Honour List 2013 Commotion in the bee hive: every day there is less and less space, the bees are just cramped together. Some of them set out to find out why, and after thorough examination and calculation they declare: There is one bee to much in the hive! But which one is the one too much, how to unmask, where to find her? Every bee just looks like the others! When their search turns out useless, the bees find another, united and finally quite simple solution for their problem.

Author: Santiago Alba RicoIllustrator: Joan NegrescolorTitle: Fitún, the starSpanish title: La estrellita Fitún

36 pages, hardcover, 24 x 22 cm From 4 years on Topics: stars, friendship, cold, winter, imagination World rights available

Author/ Illustrator: Rebeka ElizegiTitle: A flower for MumSpanish title: Una flor de repuesto para mamá

32 pages, hardcover, 24 x 22 cm From 5 years on Topics: sickness of somebody you love, cancer, recuperation World rights available

Author/ Illustrator: Stefanie PfeilTitle: Pipocas? What’s that?Catalan title: Pipocas? Què és això?

28 pages, hardcover, 21,5 x 26 cm From 5 years on Topics: languages, multilingual, friendship, multicultural, social integration World rights available

Author: Yolanda CastañoIllustrator: Xavi SellèsTitle: PunanoGalician title: Punver

32 pages, hardcover, 19 x 26 cm, From 3 years on Topics: animals, adventure, differentness, humour, poetry World rights available

Author: Santiago Alba RicoIllustrator: Xavi SellèsTitle: Roquefort, the little mouseSpanish title: El ratoncito Roquefort 28 pages, hardcover, 18 x 24,5 cm From 5 years on Topics: gluttony, animals, appetite, family, humour World rights available

Author: Koldo IzagirreIllustrator: Antton OlariagaTitle: The girl with dirty feetSpanish title: Pies sucios

28 pages, hardcover, 18 x 24,5 cm From 5 years on Topics: immigration, solidarity, lonesomeness, wishes, dreams Rights sold to Germany

C/ Junta de Comerç, 18 baixos 08001 Barcelonawww.takatuka.cat

Documents

Foreign Rights Catalogue 2019 - takatuka.cat