At 31, she already has ten years of career. Valentina Toro started illustrating out of passion, defying her disability. His nine children’s books are sold in several Latin American countries. In 2023, this Colombian launched a new project, “ Una en cien mil » (One in a hundred thousand) to tell stories about difference and surpassing oneself. A nod to her illness which deprived her of her arms.
4 mins
From our correspondent in Medellin,
Pencils and papers were part of Valentina Toro’s childhood, like all children. But, for her, they had another dimension. This Colombian, originally from Medellín, was born with a rare disease: Holt-Oram syndrome. This genetic mutation affects the development of the heart and limbs. So Valentina has grown, but not her arms or her hands. However, that did not stop him from living from his passion, “ tell stories “.
“ Drawing has always been a part of me. Even in middle school, I drew all the time, even during math classes. My method of learning is through drawing. My father is also an illustrator, so that was an example. I studied graphic design then a master’s degree in creative writing. Since I was little, I wanted to draw to tell stories.”
“ I only wanted to be an illustrator »
Valentina will then fill piles of notebooks with sketches and characters, each more fanciful than the last. Until the day when a story, his first book, took shape for a school assignment. “I went to the old bookstore in El Retiro [ville où vivent ses grands-parents, à une heure de route de Medellín, NDLR] with the model of my book that I had made for school. I left the copy with the director. She wanted to read it. As luck would have it, a person from Bogota, who worked in a publishing house, became interested in it. She took it to Bogota. Later, I received a call to announce the publication of my book. » Her first book was published while she was still a student. She was not twenty years old.
What Valentina describes as coincidence, some will see it as destiny, others as luck. The young Colombian sees it as the fruit of long-term work. During his first meeting with the publishing house, things quickly got serious. “They didn’t know what I looked like, let alone that I had Holt-Oram syndrome. When they saw me, it was the click. For them, it was another reason to hire me. At the time, I was very embarrassed, I didn’t want that to be talked about. Because people often didn’t read my stories. They only wanted to see the artist who had overcome his infirmity. And not the author who works for months to write and illustrate a book. For me, not having arms was normal. I just wanted to be an illustrator. »
“ My difference is a super power »
But, Valentina changed her mind. Ten years later and after the publication of nine books in Latin America, his professional project has evolved. “ Today, looking back, I realize that all my characters talk about difference, about being strange, weird. Unconsciously, my stories are all linked to this difference which can be physical or in personality. It was my way of telling how we live in an extraordinary body. Finally, I tell the children how to accept themselves. »
Moreover, at no point in the interview does Valentina Toro speak of “disability”. She is aware that “others” may be offended by her appearance. But she doesn’t make it an obsession. She dedicates her time and energy to her passion. She has just developed new products such as a soft toy bearing the image of one of her characters. She holds him in her arms when she explains her project “ Una en cien mil » (One in a hundred thousand).“This project refers to the number of people affected by my illness. It’s a way of asserting my difference and making it a strength. My difference is a superpower. Besides, this pin, which I wear, represents my hand with my three fingers “.
If criticism or malicious glances have crossed Valentina Toro’s path during her career as a professional illustrator, she doesn’t let anything show. In 2013, she published her first illustrated book The Adventures of Violette; in 2014, Violet and the enchanted paintbrush ; and in 2016, The Ebony Bird. The illustrator also published the Mexican edition of her book in 2019: My monster and me, published by Planeta de Libros. In this novel, she tells the daily life of a little girl who doesn’t have many friends, but a monster who begins to accompany her in her daily life. “ My books serve as a refuge for children aged 8 to 13 who do not recognize themselves in classic stories. My characters help those who are scared, lost, or feel alone “.