After ten years in print, the series Little People, BIG DREAMS (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, an imprint of The Quarto Group) has sold millions of copies and inspired young readers everywhere with the life stories of historical figures. We spoke to author Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara about why she feels the books have been such a hit and what’s ahead for the series in the next decade.
When you launched the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, did you have any sense that it would become such a global success? What is it about the books that speaks so strongly to young readers?
Honestly? Not at all. When the very first book in the series was published, I stuck a piece of paper on my fridge that said: “One million books.” It felt wildly ambitious at the time, almost cheeky. The reality has gone far beyond that dream. I started with a very simple hope: to make biographies feel alive, human, and a little bit magical. I think what speaks to young readers is that the books don’t begin with success. They begin with childhood, doubt, curiosity, awkwardness. Kids recognize themselves there. The message isn’t, “Be famous.” It’s, “Be yourself, and see where that takes you.”
The Little People, BIG DREAMS series offers a unique blend of artistry, history, and pop culture. How did you come up with this recipe?
It came quite intuitively. I didn’t want history to feel dusty, and I didn’t want pop culture to feel shallow. I wanted stories with emotional truth. Art was the bridge. It allows children to feel history before they fully understand it. Once you combine strong visual storytelling with real lives, suddenly Frida Kahlo or David Bowie stop being “important figures” and start being people with dreams, fears, and even bad days.
Are you ever surprised by one book’s popularity over another?
All the time. Books are a bit like children: you love them equally, but they each go out into the world and live their own lives.
Looking ahead to the next 10 years, how do you see the legacy Little People, BIG DREAMS continuing to grow?
There’s something quite magical about realizing that some of the children who first read these books are now adults. That thought still stops me in my tracks. I hope they continue to pass on the magic of Little People, BIG DREAMS to the children around them—through stories, curiosity, and kindness. If the series keeps inspiring conversations across generations, then I think its future is very bright indeed.
