Books, stories & cultural exchange.
I’m Marina Prado, literary consultant, rights representative, and founder of Mama Reads. My background in anthropology has shaped the way I approach books: as cultural and creative objects, and as spaces for exchange between languages, places, and people. Today, my work brings together international rights, literary translation, and editorial consulting, with a particular focus on picture books and illustrated literature. I currently represent selected titles from Brazilian independent publisher ÔZé Editora for English- and French-language rights in Canada.
Here’s the story about how I grew up in Brazil, surrounded by books…
In the early ‘90s, Zeco Montes, my godfather, founded a bookstore called Klaxon, named after the avant-garde visual art and literary magazine published in Brazil from 1922 to 1923. Later, my mom, Denise, and aunts, Silvia and Marta became partners in this venture, a literary oasis in the city of São Paulo. I remember the atmosphere of this space so vividly. That abiding smell of paper. Regulars coming in looking for a recommendation, a moment of connection, a little bit of both.
Her gift, a love of poetry…
As a teenager, my mom introduced me to the Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, and publisher, Fernando Pessoa. I was particularly enamoured with his free verse poetry written under the heteronym Alberto Caeiro. My mom reads poetry with such warmth, her voice dancing through the cadence of each line—it was here that I first experienced the power of spoken words, the way stories turn into music.
During my 20s, I moved to Vancouver, studied anthropology, volunteered at community gardens and became a mother to Georgia Brown. Motherhood brought me back to the textures of my childhood— the intimacy of those bookshelves, the experience of being read to… The way books shaped my curiosities and dreams.
I began my publishing career with an internship at Tradewind Books, an independent Canadian children’s publisher in Vancouver, working with founders Michael and Carol Katz across the publishing process, from manuscript review and final proofs to book launches. In 2013, I facilitated the Brazililan rights sale of the book No Pets Allowed to Brinque-Book, which published the book the following year as Ruim Para Cachoro. Brinque-Book was later acquired by Companhia das Letras, one of Brazil’s leading publishing group. That early experience in international rights helped shape an enduring interest in how books travel across languages and cultures- a driving force that continues to influence my work today.
When I was pregnant with my daughter, friends & family shared their favorite picturebooks, instead of the usual stacks of clothing and diapers. On a Sunday afternoon, we sat around an imperfect circle in our small one bedroom apartment in Vancouver, sharing the stories behind their book of choice. For years to come, these picture books became the bedrock of my favorite ritual as a parent. This exchange culminated in a blog about children’s books and motherhood. One More Story Told became my “kitchen table creative outlet while the baby naps” and a way of feeling less isolated, more connected to the far reaches of my community. Many moves later, including relocating to another country, I continue to be inspired by the affective energy these books carry. In the Spring of 2025, I felt a yearning to rekindle my creative fire, to revive this project and design a life around my love of literature and picture books. That’s how Mama Reads came to be.
SELECTED PROJECTS & HIGHLIGHTS
Rights Representative — ÔZé Editora, selected English- and French-language rights in Canada
Canada Council for the Arts — grant recipient supporting professional participation in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
International Rights · No Pets Allowed — Facilitated the Brazilian Portuguese rights sale from Tradewind Books to Brinque-Book, later published as Ruim pra Cachorro.
IBBY–UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages — Oikoá, represented title selected for the international collection
Mama Reads — founder and editor, dedicated to picture books and visual storytelling
EDUCATION
MA, Interdisciplinary Studies — The University of British Columbia
BA, Anthropology — The University of British Columbia
I divide my time between San Miguel de Allende and Vancouver, moving between the high desert of Central Mexico and the rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. The contrast between these places keeps my senses in a humbling state of perpetual awe.
