A towering screen, the smell of popcorn, and a room settling into silence can make an ordinary outing feel extraordinary. For a child arriving at the cinema for the first time, every detail holds a discovery.
In Poppy and the Giant Screen: The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Movies, Poliana Maluf brings that anticipation to a picture book about imagination, family, and the joy of watching stories together.
A Little Girl Steps Into a Bigger World
Poppy is curious, energetic, and full of imagination. When her mom takes her to the movie theater for the first time, she enters a place filled with unfamiliar sights, sounds, and sensations. There’s plenty for a restless little girl to notice before the film even begins.
Then the lights go down.
As the story fills the giant screen, Poppy’s busy legs become still. Her attention travels into the world unfolding before her, and she becomes an explorer. That shift gives the book its emotional center: a child discovering how completely a story can capture her imagination.
For children ages three to seven, Poppy offers a welcoming companion for a new experience. Young readers preparing for their own first cinema visit can follow her curiosity and recognize the excitement of entering somewhere unfamiliar with a trusted grown-up.
Parents may find themselves remembering their earliest trips, too. The popcorn, the enormous screen, and the quiet anticipation carry memories across generations. Through Poppy and her mom, the book gives families a way to share those recollections and begin conversations about the experiences they hope to enjoy together.
The outing also offers a familiar picture of closeness. Sitting beside someone she loves, Poppy has room to feel curious, settle into the experience, and let her imagination travel. That connection gives the adventure warmth.
Watercolor Pages With a Filmmaker’s Rhythm
Across its 32 illustrated pages, the book brings cinema’s sensory appeal into a format made for sharing. Soft watercolor artwork combines with a nostalgic texture inspired by 16mm film, giving the pages a visual connection to the experience they celebrate.
Poliana worked closely with the illustrator to develop that appearance. Her intention was for each page to feel like a frame, carrying the story forward through images as well as words. The approach reflects her experience thinking about scenes, rhythm, and sound.
That filmmaking background also informs the writing. Short sentences, sounds, and highlighted words support reading aloud, giving parents and educators opportunities to vary their voices and invite children into Poppy’s discoveries. A pause can hold anticipation. A sound can become something everyone joins in with.
These choices suit a story built around attention and wonder. Children can spend time examining the illustrations, listening to the language, and imagining what Poppy feels as the theater changes around her.
The possibilities extend into activities Poliana has developed around the book, including popcorn readings, shadow theater, and movie poster projects. Each offers a practical way for children to explore storytelling through play. They might experiment with shadows, imagine a poster for their own adventure, or connect a shared reading with the rituals of a cinema outing.
For educators and families, those activities provide starting points for creative conversations. What would a child put on a giant screen? Which sounds would help tell the story? Poppy’s experience leaves room for young imaginations to keep exploring after the final page.
About the Author
Poliana is a Brazilian filmmaker, producer, and creative strategist with international experience in film and audiovisual production. Her love of storytelling began in childhood through books and later grew through cinema.
Poppy and the Giant Screen marks her literary debut. Inspired by her childhood and lifelong affection for these creative worlds, she approached the illustrations and launch with the care she brings to a film production.
The book is published in English and in Portuguese as Poppy e a Tela Gigante. She’s currently adapting the story into a short film, continuing Poppy’s journey through another storytelling form.
A Memory Worth Sharing
With its curious heroine, gentle watercolor imagery, and attention to the rituals of moviegoing, Poppy and the Giant Screen gives families a warm story to enjoy together.
Poppy’s first visit celebrates the discoveries that can begin when the lights dim, a story appears, and someone beloved is sitting close by.
We had the privilege of interviewing the author. Here are excerpts from the interview:
Thank you so much for joining us today! Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
I’m Poliana Maluf, a Brazilian filmmaker, producer and creative strategist. I’ve spent my career in film and audiovisual production, and Poppy and the Giant Screen is my first children’s book.
Please tell us about your journey.
I fell in love with stories as a child, first through books and later through cinema. Years of working behind the camera made me want to give children the same magic I felt the first time the lights went down in a movie theater. That’s how Poppy was born: a curious, restless girl whose first trip to the cinema with her mom turns her into an explorer. I worked closely with the illustrator to give the book a watercolor look inspired by 16mm film, so every page feels like a frame. The book was published in English and in Portuguese, and I’m now adapting it into a short film.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
Bringing my film background into everything: I wrote the book thinking in scenes, rhythm and sound, which makes it perfect for reading aloud. I also created experiences around the book, like popcorn readings, shadow theater and movie poster activities, so children don’t just read the story, they live it. And I treat every step, from the illustrations to the launch, with the same care I would give a film production.
Any message for our readers?
Take your kids to the movies, and read with them. Shared stories, whether on a giant screen or on the page, create memories that last a lifetime. Cinema isn’t the enemy of childhood; when we experience it together, it’s pure magic.
Thank you so much, Poliana Maluf, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!