Oikoá
Written by Felipe Valério
Illustrated by Luise Weiss
Indigenous language consultation & translation by Maria Cristina Troncarelli, Tupã Mirim Wera , Bepo Metyktire, Paimu Muapep Trumai
A visually sophisticated Brazilian picture book connecting Indigenous languages, knowledge, territory and biodiversity, selected for the IBBY–UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages.
Themes: Indigenous languages · linguistic diversity · nature · ecology · cultural knowledge · environmental stewardship · Brazil
ABOUT
In Guaraní Mbyá, Oikoá means ‘life’. Grounded in the voices and vision of Indigenous peoples, this book draws strength from those who have long safeguarded the Earth, ensuring that rivers run free, forests stand tall and biodiversity flourishes. Written in Portuguese, Mẽbêngôkre and Guarani Mbya, the book invites young readers to feel, reflect and act – affirming that while life exists, it is worth defending.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Selected for the inaugural IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages - one of 169 titles representing more than 152 languages worldwide. Launched at the 40th IBBY World Congress in Ottawa, with exhibitions at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2026 and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April 2027.
Highly recommended by the Fundação Nacional do Livro Infantil e Juvenil FNLIJ IBBY Brasil 2022
Finalist for the Jabuti Prize 2022
Illustration category PME-SP Collection 2022
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Original title: Oikoá
Publisher: ÔZé Editora
Language: Portuguese, Guaraní Mbyá, and Mẽbêngôkre
First Published: 2022
Extent: 48 pages
Format: Illustrated Picture Book
Trim: 21 × 25cm
ISBN: 978-65-89835-20-2
Suggested age: 6 - 10
Rights represented: Canada, English & French
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Luise Weiss
Luise Weiss (illustrator) is a Brazilian visual artist and professor based in São Paulo. She holds a PhD in Visual Poetics from the University of São Paulo (USP) and is a professor at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), where she teaches printmaking, drawing, and photography. Her artistic practice explores memory, time, and materiality through engraving, photography, and artist’s books. Weiss has exhibited widely in Brazil and internationally, with solo and group shows including Passagens at MASP (São Paulo Museum of Art). She is the author of the artist’s book No Mar... (2012), and has participated in residencies and research projects in China, Germany, and Poland.
Felipe Valério (author) was born on a long-named island in Santa Catarina, but it was in São Paulo that he learned how to make rain. As a child, he’d cut out words, shake them in a bag, and let stories emerge. He writes for both adults and children, and is the author of the novel Hotel Trombose (Edith), later adapted for the stage. His work appears in various anthologies, and he was a featured author in the Caligrama-Consigo literary intervention at SESC Santana. When not writing stories, he crafts language for brands at Fragma, the studio he founded in 2018.
Rights & Inquiries
For reading copies, further information on the book’s creative and linguistic, character, and Canadian English- and French-language rights, please contact:
Marina Prado Nogueira · Canadian Rights Representative · ÔZé Editora
Via email at marinapn@gmail.com, alternatively, you can send a note using the contact link below.
For the full ÔZé Editora catalogue (in english) → click here