ASSOCIATION

Literature that transforms lives

The Asociación Amigos de Carolina Purpurina exists to support the charity book series created by Isabel Plantinet, an 11-year-old girl, together with her mother, Laura Rivera Casares. The series is inspired by the life of her sister, 13-year-old Carolina Plantinet, who has leukodystrophy, a rare, neurodegenerative and terminal disease that keeps her in a wheelchair. Carolina is the only child in Castile and León diagnosed with this condition. There are currently 12 known cases in Spain and 300 worldwide.

Through literature, Isabel turns her love and admiration for her sister into a creative, charitable project that has moved thousands of readers and reached far beyond Castile and León and Spain.

Written mainly for children — though much loved by adults too — the series combines tenderness, humour and deep human values, with an inspiring message: our differences don’t divide us; they make us shine together as a society.

Four titles have been published in the series so far:

• CAROLINA PURPURINA. Brillantes aventuras sobre ruedas (May 2024)
• CAROLINA PURPURINA. Brillantes aventuras de gira (May 2025)
• CAROLINA PURPURINA. Brillantes aventuras y misterios (May 2026)
• Mi primer libro de CAROLINA PURPURINA (September 2026)

The Purpurina universe offers an optimistic, luminous view of disability and rare diseases, with messages of resilience, empathy, inclusion and hope.

The association devotes its profits to supporting research into leukodystrophy and to organising activities and support programmes for children with disabilities and rare diseases.

The association also aims to:

• Empower children with rare diseases through literature.
• Normalise childhood disability and encourage empathy in the classroom.
• Show that every child can be the hero of the story, even from a wheelchair.

For almost three years without a break, the series has been presented at more than 200 events in schools, libraries, book fairs and theatres across Spain and Europe. Every event promotes reading, inclusion and solidarity.

Some of the presentations:

• Colegio Virgen Reina (Gijón)
• Colegio La Enseñanza (Valladolid)
• Colegio COAMI (Madrid)

The authors travel from train to train, pushing a wheelchair and a trolley full of hardback books. Their journey stands for effort, dedication and a passion for sharing human values.

• Six first prizes in children’s writing competitions, two of them international (2023–2025).
• Legado Valores 2024 award from Tribuna Grupo (Teatro Liceo, Salamanca).
• More than a year as a bestseller in children’s books on Amazon Spain.
• The series translated into four languages: English, French, German and Italian.
• Readers around the world, in China, Japan, India, South Korea, Mexico, Colombia and many other countries.

The project has been widely covered by national and regional media:

• Canal Sur – TV report
• Televisión Castilla y León – news
• TVE news
• Tribuna Valladolid
• El Correo de Andalucía

All the press coverage is in the News section.

A line from the first chapter sums up the spirit of the project:

“If we put a handful of glitter in the palm of our hand and blow, our troubles fly away and vanish into the air, just like glitter…”

The values that define Carolina Purpurina:

• Love and sisterhood: a girl who turns her love for her sister into literature and charitable action.
• Solidarity and commitment: raising funds for medical research.
• Inclusion and empathy: a positive, respectful view of functional diversity.
• Hope and resilience: a message of strength in the face of adversity.
• Culture and education: children’s literature as a driver of social change.

The project keeps growing as a cultural, educational and charitable initiative under the Asociación Amigos de Carolina Purpurina:

• New titles and stories about diversity and friendship.
• Partnerships with schools and children’s hospitals.
• Agreements with other rare disease associations.
• A wider international charity distribution network.

The Asociación Amigos de Carolina Purpurina shows that literature can heal, unite and transform.

It is the story of a girl who, with her imagination, her positivity and her love of all things sparkly, has given a voice to thousands of families fighting rare diseases.

A project that reflects the purest human values: love, solidarity, hope and social commitment.