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Bronze Medal at the 2013 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. A fun, tongue-in-cheek story about the magic of books and the power of imagination. Mary wants to be Philberta and everyone looks at her as if she was an alien—but who is Philberta?
Mary’s dad wants to be rich. Mary’s mom wants to live in a better house. The principal of her school wants to retire, and her teacher wants to be her new principal. Like all of the other grown-ups in the little girl’s life, they spend their time wishing for things that they believe will make them feel completely satisfied. So why do they look at Mary as if she were some kind of freak when she’s got a wish of her own: to be Philberta!
Maybe the mysterious storybook that Mary always carries with her can help put an end to all these useless wishes. I Want to Be Philberta reminds us that there’s nothing more gratifying than letting yourself get carried away in the fantasy of a good book.
“A picture book that reminds us of the innate ability of children to live in the present and to enjoy it, something that adults often lose sight of, letting themselves be carried away by desires that postpone happiness to a future moment that may never come.” —Apegoyliteratura
Mar Pavón (Manresa, Spain, 1968) is a writer mainly dedicated to children's literature. Some of her extensive work is translated into English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Chinese and Korean, among other languages. She has been honored with prestigious awards in the US, some of which were presented by the International Latino Book Awards. Her most significant work is Yeray Poeta, published following the birth of her son in 1996. Her most popular character is “Clucky the Hen”, created in collaboration with the illustrator Mónica Carretero, winner of several awards and recognitions.
Alex Pelayo is a graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in Engraving (University of Chile, 2000). He is a cartoonist, illustrator, caricaturist, and web designer.