Written and illustrated by Aline Abreu, winner of the João de Barro Prize and the Monteiro Lobato Children’s Literature Award, Castor Seeds marks her acclaimed debut as a young adult novelist. The narrative stands out for its authentic portrayal of adolescence, capturing the fast-paced, often contradictory flow of a teenager’s mind with remarkable sensitivity and literary skill. Alongside first love, friendship, and self-discovery, the story also addresses more complex issues, including gender equality and domestic violence, through the experiences of the people Malu meets in her new life.

The book’s visual identity is an integral part of the reading experience. Abreu’s illustrations, created using a distinctive tape-resist technique, add texture and personality to the narrative. The graphic design mirrors Malu’s thought process, most notably in an innovative table of contents that can be read as a miniature version of the story itself. Like the castor seeds of the title, which burst open and disperse to grow elsewhere, Malu gradually learns that leaving familiar ground behind can also be the beginning of something new.