The Map of Good Memories

Winner of the 2017 New York City Big Book Award

In The Map of Good Memories, a young girl takes time to remember her home before her and her family must flee their war-torn city.

Zoe had lived in the city since she was born. She knew every building, every park, every corner of the city. When the war broke out, Zoe, like many others, had to say goodbye to her home and leave without knowing when she might return. Zoe has so many good memories of her city. There was her grandparents' house, which was a shelter full of dreams and games, her old school where she met her friends and loved learning new things, and of course, the downtown park, where she’d spent many Sunday mornings there, playing on the swings, listening to people playing music, and riding her bike.

Just before her and her family leave, Zoe spreads the map of the city on a table and marks all the places where she was truly happy, with the certainty that they will always accompany her.

Fran Nuño was born in Bilbao in 1973, and currently lives in Seville, Spain. He is a writer, cultural promoter, and bookseller-editor. Author of over forty books—almost all of them children's literature—among which there are novels, stories, poetry, theater pieces, manuals, and picture books. He has received several awards and mentions, both for his literary work and for his work in favor of reading. He won the Gold Medal for Best Illustrated Album in Spanish at the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards 2013 for Fairground Lights (Cuento de Luz) and was awarded Best illustrated album for all ages at the New York City Big Book Award 2017 for The Map of Good Memories (Cuento de Luz). His work has been translated into Galician, Valencian, Catalan, English, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin, and Korean.

Zuzanna Celej is an award-winning illustrator. She has a BA Honors in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona and majored in Illustration at the Llotja Art School in Barcelona. She specializes in illustration, fine art photography, and printmaking. Her work has been exhibited in Spain, France, England, Italy, Poland, and the United States.

Celej is currently dedicated to the publishing world with more than 50 titles inside and outside the country. She has been recognized with national and international awards, including the New York City Big Book Award for Best Illustrated Album, The Map of Good Memories (Cuento de Luz, 2016). She combines illustration projects with teaching Plastic Arts in several cultural venues and in his own studio, as well as running workshops in Art Schools Masters.