An Interview with Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara on Her 100th "Little People, BIG DREAMS" Book | A Mighty Girl
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An Interview with Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara on Her 100th "Little People, BIG DREAMS" Book
Posted on May 19, 2023 by A Mighty Girl Staff
"I look for traits such as perseverance, creativity, empathy, and courage in the people I write about. But most importantly, I look for people who have never given up on their dreams."
Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara celebrated the birth of her twin nieces with an extra special gift: the very first volume in the Little People, BIG DREAMS picture book biography series! The series, with its stylish artwork, intriguing subjects, and empowering stories, quickly became a bestseller. Today, more than 7.5 million copies of her books have been sold and the series is about to reach an enormous milestone: Sánchez Vegara has just released her 100th volume, telling the story of Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate!
Sánchez Vegara grew up in Barcelona, Spain, in the 1970s, and she remembers being inspired by fictional figures like Pippi Longstocking and Tinkerbell — but also by real-life Spanish poet Gloria Fuertes. It was Fuertes' story that made her imagine becoming an author herself one day. After 20 years of working in advertising, she decided to pursue that childhood dream and most of her savings to self-publish her first book in 2012. Two years later, when her nieces Alba and Claudia were born, she came up with the formula for her now beloved series: following history-making people from childhood to adulthood and highlighting how they achieved their goals and changed the world. Her books were originally published in Spanish, but today they're available in more than twenty languages so they can encourage children around the world to pursue their big ideas and bold plans.
In celebration of her 100th book, A Mighty Girl spoke with Sánchez Vegara about why she started the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, how she chooses the people she features, and what she hopes children will learn from her books. You can also help choose the next Little People, Big Dreams book subject in their current contest; the individual who receives the most nominations by June 13 will be published as the next book in the series!
Our Interview With Author Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Your Little People, BIG DREAMS series has been extraordinarily successful with more than 7.5 million copies sold worldwide. Can you take us back to the beginning and tell us about how you started the series and what inspired it? Also, who was the subject of your very first book?
Maria Isabel: Little People, BIG DREAMS started with a spark of inspiration when my twin nieces were born. I wanted to give them a meaningful and empowering gift: a book about remarkable women who had made a significant impact on the world. But when I went to look for it, I couldn't find it! I was surprised but also determined to change that. So, I decided to write it myself.
I started the series in 2014, and since then, it has grown beyond my wildest dreams. The goal was always to share the stories of inspirational individuals in a way that was accessible and engaging for kids. We want to show children that anyone can make a difference, no matter their age, gender, or background.
The first book in the series was all about the fabulous Coco Chanel. I was drawn to her story because she was a...