Tula the Turtle

Tula is a special turtle, inquisitive and a dreamer. With the help of her friends Hugo and Quilan, she will discover that the power of dreams comes from friendship, loyalty and the infinite capacity to imagine.

This story, created from the imagination and sensitivity of six people with intellectual disabilities from the Gil Gayarre Foundation, expresses a unique and deeply human perspective.

Through Tula, we understand that supporting means opening paths, that difficulties are overcome together, and that differences do not separate us, but instead make us extraordinary.

María Paniagua's delicate watercolours envelop the story in a magical aura, inviting readers to linger on each page, to observe and be moved. A heartening tale about the importance of feeling accompanied, of supporting each other so that obstacles can be transformed into stepping stones.

A story that reminds us that we all have our own light, that differences are the colours that make us unique, that friendship and unconditional support give wings even to those who move forward little by little... and that when we help each other, the paths become smoother and dreams come closer.

Cuento Contigo. The Gil Gayarre Foundation is an organization of recognized prestige for its personalized care model, founded by Carmen Gayarre Galbete (Pamplona, 1900) who, after her son Luis was born with Down Syndrome, specialized in special education and received the Queen Sofía Prize for Rehabilitation and Integration for an egalitarian and inclusive education. Currently, the foundation accompanies people with intellectual disabilities and their families in the development of their life projects, with the goal of achieving the greatest possible social inclusion. This story was born within the literary creativity workshop Cuento Contigo and from the hearts of six people with intellectual disabilities: Carmen Alonso, Magdalena Gómez, Maribel Sastre, Carmen Descalzo, Juan Manuel Herrero, and José Luis Esteban.

María Paniagua (Madrid, 1971) is an author and illustrator of children's books, and has spent years working in the decoration sector, illustrating products for children's rooms and spaces. As a child, due to a long illness, she spent a lot of time in bed surrounded by stories and colored pencils. From this experience comes her desire to give wings to the characters in the stories she illustrates, so they can go as far as they wish. Her style includes digital and analog methods, such as watercolor, and the message she conveys through her work is one of deep love for childhood and nature.