1. Identification
1.1. Full name: Maria Adélia Moreira Carvalho
1.2. Creative field: Writing
Brief Introduction (Mini Biography)
Adélia Carvalho was born in Vila Cova, a small village in Penafiel, in the Porto district. The youngest of seven sisters, she grew up enchanted by the stories told by her maternal grandfather — the first to awaken in her a love for imagination and words.
In the frequent absence of her mother, who worked outside the home, she found companionship in the animals that followed her — cats and dogs she often hid and secretly fed.
She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from the School of Education in Porto and has dedicated herself to the world of words and childhood. She is currently the author of over thirty children's and young adult books and works as a literary festival programmer.
She co-founded the publishing house Tcharan with illustrator Marta Madureira and opened the Papa-Livros Bookstore in Porto — a meeting place for readers, authors, and stories.
Her books have been translated into several languages and published in countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, and she is a regular presence at book fairs and literary festivals both in Portugal and abroad.
Portfolio / Work Samples
Title: Once Upon a Time, There Was a Dog
- Text: Adélia Carvalho
- Illustration: João Vaz de Carvalho
- Publisher: Tcharan
- Porcelain: Vista Alegre
Title: What is Family?
- Text: Adélia Carvalho
- Illustration: Gabriela Araújo
- Publisher: Tcharan
Title: Mário and the Freedom Train
- Text: Adélia Carvalho
- Illustration: Nuno Saraiva
- Publisher: Tcharan
Title: The Sun Doesn't Draw at Night
- Text: Adélia Carvalho
- Illustration: Pierre Pratt
- Publisher: Tcharan
Title: A Little Prince
- Text: Adélia Carvalho
- Illustration: Guridi
- Publisher: Tcharan
Links to External Portfolios
🌐 https://www.tcharaneditora.pt/
🌐 https://papalivros.pt/
Instagram:
Mini Interview
Q: How, when, and in what context did the Papa-Livros bookstore and Tcharan publishing house come to be?
A: In November 2008, after years of teaching at various schools, I decided to open a space where literature could grow alongside its readers. That's how, in Porto, Papa-Livros was born — a bookstore dedicated to children and young adults.
The opening featured a very special godmother: writer Matilde Rosa Araújo, whose presence marked the beginning of a project deeply connected to picture books.
Since then, the bookstore has been the stage for book launches, presentations, and illustration exhibitions, always with the same mission: to believe that reading is a portal to imagination and to provide readers — young and old — with the magic of each page.
Two years later, in 2010, Tcharan emerged — a publishing house focused mainly on picture books and children's literature. The first book published was The Bossy Crocodile and, since then, the list has only grown.
The name "Tcharan" came about spontaneously, among friends, ideas, and chance. A challenge was set to find a name and someone said, jokingly: "Tcharan!". After many suggestions, I realized the answer had been there from the beginning — in the very word that started the game.
"Tcharan" stayed, and continues to reflect the spirit with which everything began: wonder, discovery, and the joy of the book world.
Q: Of all your books, which one is closest to your heart, and why?
A: The Bossy Crocodile — it was the book that gave rise to everything: the desire to create a publishing house with Marta Madureira and to continue telling stories with freedom and imagination. It opened the first door… and many others followed.
Q: What is the greatest privilege your profession brings you?
A: The greatest privilege is never becoming stagnant. The world of books and culture keeps me always in motion — meeting people I admire (and others I come to admire), sharing knowledge, learning every day.
And, in the midst of all this, making new friends is what gives strength and meaning to my path.
Q: Tell us what you usually have on your desk on a perfectly normal day.
A: Books — always a pile of books that changes with the days.
A glass full of pens and pencils, my Moleskine notebook with notes and to-do lists, a mug of coffee or tea, the computer, the phone, and, of course, my calculator.
There are also apples and dried fruits — cashews, walnuts… small energy reserves to accompany the ideas.
Q: What led you to establish Papa-Livros in Bombarda in 2008?
A: I chose Rua Miguel Bombarda because, even at that time, it had a very strong cultural identity, marked by art galleries and lively openings.
It was (and continues to be) an area where new aesthetics, design, and creative thinking coexist, with shops and projects that breathe art and contemporaneity.
All of this aligned with the audience I sought for Papa-Livros: curious, sensitive, and open to the world of ideas and imagination.
How to Collaborate / Request Services
PAPA-LIVROS
- Book sales
- Illustration sales
- Organization and curation of literary and artistic events, such as:
- Literary Festivals
- Illustration Parties
- Author Meetups
- Moderation of Talks
- Storytime sessions and sessions in schools, libraries, etc.
- Book Presentations
- Illustration Exhibitions
- School Visits:
- Schools and Preschools — from age 3, with storytime or illustration workshops
- Secondary and Higher Education — visits and talks about illustration and publishing
Contacts:
📧 papa.livros1@gmail.com / encomendaspapa.livros@gmail.com
🌐 https://papalivros.pt/
📞 +351 220 931 549
TCHARAN
- Book Publishing
- Graphic Design Production
- Book Layout
- Representation and Artistic Commissions in illustration and writing
- Creative Writing Workshops
Contacts:
📧 tcharan.editora@gmail.com
🌐 https://www.tcharaneditora.pt/
📞 +351 220 931 549
