The Children's Library at the Casa de Cultura in Alcázar de San Juan recently hosted the presentation of 'Fito and his unexpected family', a heartfelt literary work by author María Teresa Cárceles, illustrated by Lidiane Miranda and published by Apuleyo.
Culture Councillor Cristina Perea attended the event to support the author and promote this reading initiative aimed at young children and their families.
The story follows Fito, a small, timid mouse living in the garden of a lovely house. After various adventures exploring the home while believing he is unnoticed, the family decides to accept him as one of their own. Through games, celebrations, and the close emotional bond between humans and animals, the book tenderly addresses themes of loneliness and the search for affection, culminating in a wonderful birthday gift that transforms the protagonist's life.
During the event, María Teresa Cárceles, who has strong ties to Alcázar de San Juan and hails from the neighbouring municipality of Quero, shared the emotional backstory of her publication: “This book was kept in a drawer for 25 years; I wrote it while pregnant with my first child. It has been an adventure to overcome my fears and fulfil the dream of publishing it at the age of 50. It conveys important values such as family, friendship, and affection, and aims to foster imagination from an early age, as reading is a fundamental pillar.”
Cárceles also revealed that she is currently working on a sequel to Fito and other projects in children's and young adult literature.
In her remarks, Councillor Perea congratulated the author on her publishing success and encouraged the public to utilise municipal resources: “It is a charming book that is very easy for children aged seven or eight to read, or for family reading. We congratulate Teresa for daring to fulfil this dream and encourage all parents to bring their children to the library and get them a reader's card, which will open the doors to the network of libraries across Castilla-La Mancha.”
