María Elena Walsh

Hello, my name is María Elena Walsh, and I am a writer and singer of songs. I was born in a big house near Buenos Aires, Argentina, on February 1st, 1930. My home was a wonderful place, always filled with books to read and music to hear. All of those stories and melodies helped my imagination grow as big and strong as a tall tree. From a very young age, I knew what I loved to do most. I would spend my time reading every book I could find and writing my very own poems, filling notebooks with my thoughts and dreams.

When I was only 17 years old, something amazing happened. In 1947, I published my very first book of poems. It was so exciting to hold a real book in my hands that had my name printed right on the cover. I felt so proud knowing that other people could now read the words that had come straight from my heart. It was a dream come true for a girl who loved to write more than anything.

My adventures took me to new places. Around 1952, I moved all the way across the ocean to a beautiful city called Paris, in a country named France. There, I had a good friend named Leda Valladares. Together, we started a singing group called 'Leda y María.' We sang beautiful folk songs from our home in Argentina. It felt special to share a piece of our country with people who lived so far away.

After my time in Paris, I returned to my home in Argentina, and I knew I wanted to do something new. I decided to write stories and songs just for children. That is when I created some of my most famous characters and worlds. I wrote about a friendly turtle in a song called 'Manuelita la tortuga.' I also imagined a silly place called 'El Reino del Revés,' which means 'The Upside-Down Kingdom,' where everything was funny and backwards. I wanted to create things that would make children laugh out loud but also make them think in new ways.

I spent my whole life creating stories and songs for others to enjoy. I lived to be 80 years old. Today, my music and books are still a special part of growing up for children in Argentina and all around the world. I hope they always remind everyone to play, to imagine, and to be wonderfully silly.