★Two entirely different kids have precisely the same dreams. To live an adventure. To become the main character in a story. Does this remind you of anyone, maybe a friend of yours?

Mia was a little girl just like the others. Every night, she would have dreams. Going on adventures with dragons, princesses, knights and pirates. And of course, eating ice cream! But a special night was coming. Because every child whose makes a wish will have it come true. Mia didn't want to be a princess in a tower, a pirate on a ship, or a traveler in a hot air balloon. She wanted a friend. 'Cause if you don't share adventures, what's the value of them? So, she hoped to have a close friend. Until she met another friend who had almost the same dreams as her - a ladybug girl! Living on stories!

Maria Papayanni (Author)
She studied Greek Language and Literature and worked as a journalist in radio, television, newspapers, and magazines.
Her first book was published in 2001. Ever since she has devoted herself to writing stories, fairy tales, and novels. She loves magical, traditional tales and narrates them to children when she visits schools. She also loves theatre and has penned librettos and verses for musical theatre. Her first book, "Goodnight, Mama," was published in 2001, the same year her second child was born. Her books have enjoyed great success with children and have won numerous awards in Greece, including:
· In 2002, she co-authored "Catch them!" with Philippos Mandilaras, which won the Merit Award by the Greek section of IBBY.
· "As If By Magic" won Greek IBBY Award and the Diavazo Literary Magazine Award
· "The Lonesome Tree" won the State Prize and the Diavazo Literary Magazine Award.
"You Will Win Another Day" has been translated into multiple languages.
· She was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2020 and 2022.

After all, she believes that books have wings:
“Children know well that when the sentence Once upon a time is uttered the door opens to the place where anything may happen. And children need the world of imagination in order to understand everyday life and its difficulties.”

In her own words:
I was born in Larissa, under Mount Olympus, where the 12 gods of antiquity lived.
I grew up in a large family where everyone had the gift of telling stories. Not fairy tales, but everyday life stories, which were told over huge tables in the summer; stories would add taste in our life, the way salt and pepper add flavour to our food. I recall tears alternating with laughter. These stories seemed to me like miracles, because they could release great powers. I don’t mean to say that everyone in my family was a bit of a liar, but exaggeration was something common. That’s how I came to believe that in the quiet, provincial town where I was growing up anything could happen. Growing up, instead of confessing to myself that my family used to exaggerate, I chose to believe that we were ‘special’ and ‘unique’. And I also decided that this was the only way I could tolerate reality and put up with everyday difficulties. By making up stories…
With stories, I have always had a season ticket in my pocket which allowed me to freely come and go between everyday life and the land where… anything may happen.

Iris Samartzi (Illustrator)
She was born in Athens in 1979. She studied graphic and interior design, as well as children's art. Since 2004, she has been working as a children's book illustrator. She also taught art at preschools and elementary schools. As an illustrator, she has won various awards, including:
· "The Last Day" won The Compostela Prize in 2016.
· "Federico's Wonderful Time" won The Greek Book Award from IBBY in 2016.
· "Good Pirates, Bad Pirates" won The Greek Children's Picture Book Award and the IBBY Greek Picture Book Award in 2012.
· "The Bad Child" won The IBBY Greek Picture Book Award in 2015 for .
· "Odyssey" was included on the IBBY Honor List in 2014.
· She was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2020 and 2022