Ege and Ávra

A tangled fishing line leads to unexpected friendship in this heartwarming tale of laughter, connection, and understanding across cultural divides.

A thought-provoking picture book celebrating cross-cultural relationships in a gentle, intergenerational story connecting Türkiye and Greece on the Aegean Sea.

While fishing in the Aegean Sea with her grandfather, Ege, a girl from Türkiye, crosses paths with Ávra, a girl from Greece, who’s also fishing with her grandfather. At first, the girls ignore each other, but when their fishing lines cross, they become angry, a little like how their countries have fought for centuries.

But soon an unlikely kinship sparks! Ege and Ávra share laughter, food, and prayer in this story about cultural connection.

For every reader who’s ever felt divided by differences—or discovered that understanding can turn strangers into friends.

• A third generation Greek American, Evgenia Mantikas grew up immersed in her family’s culture. She visited Xios every summer, reading for hours on the beach. Evgenia’s love for stories grew as she studied creative writing and received her BA and MA in English literature. After teaching ELA for two years, Evgenia returned to school and earned her MFA from Simmons University and uses her voice to tell cultural stories about family. 
• Elifgül Büyükoral was born and raised in Türkiye, where her close-knit family nurtured her love for books. Elifgül delved into the world of literature and language when she earned her BA in ESL. Fueled by her passion for storytelling, Elifgül moved to the United States to receive her MA in children’s literature from Simmons University. Elifgül writes stories that shine light on her heritage and Islamic faith, hoping to amplify diverse voices.

Nazlı Tarcan is a Turkish artist and illustrator based in Namur, Belgium. 
​After studying illustration in high school, she studied photography at one of Türkiye’s most prestigious fine art universities, Yildiz Technical University. Midway through her studies, she followed her creative call and ran away with the circus, performing for ten years, traveling through Qatar, Georgia, Tajikistan, Greece, France, Poland, and many other countries. As an artist, she takes inspiration from the tiny details of everyday life. www.nazlisillustrations.com