João Colagem, the children´s book that awakens courage.

John Collage was born as a story but soon materialized in a movement for children courage.

 John Collage is a creative, resilient child who is somehow different from other children. His personal development makes him bold, and his boldness allows him to think differently from every other child.

Welcome to John Collage, a story towards a self-conscious, courageous life. This is a compelling narrative to reveal an extraordinary journey of kindness, inspiring us while fostering an attitude of authenticity to unveil the gift of imperfection.

mesa de trabalho

John Collage is both a book and a social movement. The message goes beyond the book itself through the collages, revealing the storyline and characters. The book is greater than format alone, relating words and imagery to compel change through the rich semiotics of every visual element. Together, words and visuals create a visual approach that enables the understanding of what we define as courage literacy.

Courage literacy is an original approach designed to encourage youths and children. Our goal is to inspire children to grow up being strong, creating a more compassionate generation; one that is confidently creative and able to defend their unique values. John Collage  is the captain of this movement for courage and boldness in youth and childhood, nourishing a natural loving attitude to inspire children and families, at home and at school.

John Collage epitomizes what we, as authors, wish for our children: creativity, resilience and courage. This book is the face of a more significant project, including a creative/pedagogical tool and a partnership with Nuvem Vitória, an amazing association that works with hospitalized children. Together, we aim to frame the courage literacy movement.

The magic box is a creative, plastic and pedagogical box for families and schools. The magic box transforms the book into something real that we can shape. With innovative and plastic tools, plus the pedagogical instruments, the magic box can foster creativity and create magical moments at home and at school.

Nuvem Vitória was founded in 2016 to develop singular volunteering. Every night, the volunteer teams read bedtime stories to children in hospital, who are far from their familiar environments. A total of 54,454 stories have been read, and we strive to include John Collage as part of the stories told by Nuvem Vitória. Plus, for every book sold, John Collage will donate €3 to Nuvem Vitória, fueling their ambitious mission of reading bedtime stories to every child lying in a hospital bed.

Why Nuvem Vitória? Undoubtedly, their work makes them our perfect partner: the mission, the nature of their work, the emotional attachment of the volunteers and the significance of every story that is read to a sick child in bed. Nuvem Vitória represents an exceptional opportunity to express John Collage, empowering hospitalized children in terms of courage literacy.

We dream of bringing this book to life, in print form and distributed throughout the country to spread courage to children and families, revealing the beauty of overcoming our differences. This project comes to life as a result of some sort of cosmic combination of people and their actions, plus the kindness we’ve experienced, proving that love conquers all. So, here we are, asking you to be part of this, helping us to bring this book to life, sharing indestructible magic and courage to our kids.

materiais e técnicas

About the author

The writer and illustrator come from different and complementary creative areas at the same time.

Patrícia Aguiar , designer by profession, linked for some years to teaching; atelier design practice and research, having created after his daughter's birth, his own project where he combines a very old taste for writing with the creativity and methodology he acquired over time, working for brands and projects through beauty of the word and the contexts it creates for them.

Laura Morais, a trained psychologist with a professional background in communication design in companies and ONG´s, created an illustration brand that grew roots and flourished through Content Marketing, bringing together design and photography for brands and other projects, everything thanks to the creative spark awakened by the three children.

And the Nuvem Vitória Association that exists since 2016, tells stories to children who are in hospitals or other institutions, who for health reasons (or others) temporarily remove them from their family environments.
It develops and promotes materials, tools and skills that provide a favorable environment for a restful night's sleep with hospitalized children or, acting in civil society in a broader and more comprehensive sense, of children in general.
The Nuvem Vitória Association aims to encourage the involvement of parents, family members and caregivers, in the area of reading and oral narration, in different contexts, seeking to raise the literacy level of the populations as well as to strengthen family ties and with caregivers in general.

Present in the hospitals of: Hospital de Braga; São João Hospital (Porto); Santo André Hospital (Leiria); Vila Franca de Xira Hospital; Santa Maria Hospital (Lisbon); Cascais Hospital; Alcoitão Rehabilitation Medicine Center; Garcia de Orta Hospital (Almada).

Patrícia Aguiar e Laura Morais

Budget and due dates

The funds raised  4725 €  will be used to pay:

- 2696€ - The edition of 250 copies of the children's book with hard cover and printed in offset;

- 750€ - The donation of 3€ per book to Nuvem Vitória Association;

- 95,00€ - Marketing campaign: 3 Instagram ads + PPL highlight;

- 700€ - Packaging and shipping costs.

-  50€ - ISBN

- 435.88€ - The percentage of PPL.

In this campaign we do not intend to contemplate the total costs inherent to the implementation of the total project (10445€), but to make it possible, making this movement of literacy possible through courage.

The entire campaign includes, in addition to the amount requested in the campaign (4725€), the costs related to:

The writer's original work; illustrator and text review:  3600€

The widest marketing campaign and video editing: 390€

Pagination and graphic preparation of the book: 1500€

Other inherent logistical expenses such as travel; book mockups; materials: 230€

The funding raised 472 € will be used to pay for an edition of 250 copies of the children's book with hard cover and printed in offset; for packaging and respective shipping costs; communication campaign, inherent logistical expenses, and for the donation of € 750 (3€ per book) to Nuvem Vitória Association.

The calendar of the movement for child courage:

End of September and October - Pre-campaign on social networks.

November - Crowdfunding campaign: João Colagem, the children's book that awakens courage.

December - Printing of 250 books in a national and historic printing shop in the West.

End of December - Sending books to supporters.

Session of presentation of the book to the press with the delivery of the donation to Cloud Vitória Association.

From December - Public presentations of the book and the movement for children's courage associated with it in libraries; schools; bookstores and specialized events.

Images