Ashimpa

A 2025 FOREWORD INDIES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST

From renowned Portuguese author and illustrator Catarina Sobral, Ashimpa is the story of a word that takes on a life of its own, leading young readers through the hilariously ashimpish life and grammar of a mysterious word.

One day, a researcher makes an important discovery. A mysterious word buried in an old dictionary: ASHIMPA.

Quickly the news spreads. Everyone wants to use the new word, but no one knows what it means or even what part of speech it belongs to. A 137-year-old is certain that it’s a verb: people ashimped and would always ashimp. A linguist is convinced it’s a noun. Soon there would be people who claimed to have seen live ashimpas—and in color. “They still exist abroad. They’re green!”

From renowned Portuguese author and illustrator Catarina Sobral, Ashimpa is the story of language that takes on a life of its own, leading young readers through the hilariously ashimpish life and grammar of a mysterious word.