Book Launch: When you were a cloud / Cuando fuiste nube, by María José Ferrada and Azul López, tr. by Lawrence Schimel

Join us for a special bilingual Spanish and English event to celebrate the publication of When you were a cloud/ Cuando fuiste nube. This dreamy and beautiful collection of poems (winner of the 2018 Premio Hispanoamericano de Poesía para Niños) is by María José Ferrada, with artwork by Azul López and translated by Lawrence Schimel, and is now available in bilingual format published by the Emma Press.

Everyday life mixes with the magical in this enchanting collection of poems by one of Chile’s best-loved children’s authors. A tiny horse gallops across the table. The moon draws astronauts out into the park. Mountains move, fish fly, and the monster under the bed is surprisingly helpful. Across poems of adventure and play, memory and nostalgia, When You Were A Cloud is an invitation to look more closely at the world around us and to see nature and language in a new, wonder-filled light. 

The launch event includes readings in Spanish and English by the creators and translator, as well as presentation of bookmarks and marketing materials designed by Y10 Spanish students from local schools as part of the research project Stories on the Move, led by Sophie Heywood (University of Reading, Languages & Cultures) and Barbara King (University of Reading, Institute of Education). 

This event is free and open to all who register, children and families are welcome! An online joining option is also available. There will be free (non-alcoholic) refreshments from 4.30pm.

The invite is based on a design inspired by Azul's artwork by students from Bulmershe School - the full design can be found here.