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When Friendship Grows Wings
← Children’s books New · 2026

When Friendship Grows Wings

A picture book about encounter, intense interests and a friendship that takes flight

English edition · 42 pages · 2026 · Also available in French (Quand l’amitié prend des ailes) and Portuguese (Quando a Amizade Ganha Asas)

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The book

Sometimes, playing together is easy. Other times, you have to learn to wait, to listen and to share the space… Léo loves airplanes, ideas and games full of movement. But when his friend can’t keep up with the same rhythm, Léo discovers — with his mother’s help — that friendship is not only about talking, but also about truly listening.

Inspired by the thought of philosopher Martin Buber, this book invites children, with sensitivity and poetry, to discover the difference between looking at the other as an “It” and meeting them as a “You”. A delicate story about friendship, empathy and true encounter between two friends — when the relationship finds the space it needs to grow wings.

Three threads

01EncounterWhat happens between two children when each has room to be fully who they are: listening, respect, curiosity.
02Intense interestsSome children focus very hard on what fascinates them. The book shows how that drive can become a path toward others rather than a retreat.
03For adults tooWritten for children, the book is an invitation to parents, educators and therapists: to be present, available and in dialogue.

A glimpse inside

“Sometimes, the world begins inside a child’s eyes.”
Page 1 “Sometimes, the world begins inside a child’s eyes.”
“When Léo became interested in something, his gaze grew even more focused.”
Page 2 “When Léo became interested in something, his gaze grew even more focused.”
“As he talked with his mother, Leo’s heart grew calm, like an airplane landing gently.”
Page 17 “As he talked with his mother, Leo’s heart grew calm, like an airplane landing gently.”

« All real living is meeting. »

Martin Buber

How to use this book with children

The book can be read at home, during calm moments of shared reading; at school, in discussion circles or projects about friendship, living together and emotions; or in therapeutic settings, as support for dialogue and emotional expression. During or after reading, you may:

  • invite the child to talk about how they felt in each part of the story;
  • ask who they identified with, and why;
  • explore situations in which they felt very excited, frustrated, misunderstood or overly enthusiastic;
  • talk about what it means to play together, negotiate, wait, listen — and be listened to.

There are no right or wrong answers. What matters most is the space for conversation and connection that is created. The book includes a note for parents and educators on children with intense interests and high abilities.

Where to buy Printed book. Choose your edition, then the store closest to you:
French editionAmazon USAAmazon Canada
English editionAmazon USAAmazon CanadaUICLAP (Brazil)
Portuguese editionAmazon USAAmazon CanadaUICLAP (Brazil)

Also on other Amazon stores (UK, France, Brazil, etc.): search the title or the code — French edition : B0GJD6DM6W · English edition : B0GMPSFKD6 · Portuguese edition : B0GHJLGJHZ

For group orders (schools, clinics, libraries) or a signed copy, write to us. Contact us
Helena Pinheiro Jucá-Vasconcelos

The author

Helena Pinheiro Jucá-Vasconcelos is a psychologist and Gestalt therapist (OPQ #15704-25, Quebec; CRP 05/34161, Brazil) and the founder of the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Sherbrooke. She is also co-author and editor of the book Educação Emocional Positiva and the author of other picture books, born from the same sensitive listening and the desire to translate human experiences into language accessible to children.

This book grew out of her clinical work with children whose attention lands intensely on what captivates them. Rather than naming or classifying, Helena chose to open a space for encounter: in the story there are no labels, but whole people — alive and in movement. The illustrations were created by the author with the support of artificial intelligence.

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