What if ancient legends never disappeared, but simply adapted to modern life? In Fantastic Routes, Heloisa Prieto gathers supernatural stories told by characters from different regions of Brazil, transforming traditional folklore into contemporary tales of mystery and suspense. Instead of castles and medieval forests, readers encounter shopping malls, schools, hotels, highways, and sleepy truck drivers. The settings may be modern, but the emotions remain timeless: fear of the unknown, fascination with mystery, and curiosity about what might exist beyond everyday reality.

Written by Heloisa Prieto, one of Brazil’s most respected and internationally published authors, whose work spans children’s, young adult, and adult literature, Fantastic Routes blends oral tradition, urban legends, ghost stories, and fantasy. Each story is presented as a personal account, creating an atmosphere of authenticity that blurs the boundary between reality and imagination and invites readers to question what is true and what may simply be unexplained.

Award-winning illustrator Daniel Kondo enhances the collection with evocative artwork that captures both the eerie and poetic dimensions of the stories. Together, text and image create a richly atmospheric reading experience. By bringing folklore into contemporary settings, Fantastic Routes offers a fresh take on traditional legends while demonstrating how stories evolve across generations and continue to reflect universal human fears, desires, and beliefs.