As bedtime approaches, a little armadillo asks for just one more story. And then another. While his mother patiently revisits beloved classics, sleep slowly takes over. What begins as a familiar family routine turns into a celebration of reading, imagination, and a child’s first steps toward becoming an independent reader.

Written by Telma Guimarães, one of FTD Educação’s most internationally published authors, While Mom Was Sleeping combines a warm and relatable story with a richly layered visual narrative. As classic tales are playfully reimagined with armadillo characters, readers are invited to recognize references, make connections, and explore stories within stories.

Carla Irusta’s illustrations reward careful observation with hidden details, parallel narratives, and visual clues that unfold across multiple readings. Distinct artistic treatments separate the everyday world from the imagined stories, creating a dynamic reading experience that reinforces the book’s metafictional dimension.