Ashimpa: The Mysterious Word

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Author(s)

Catarina Sobral

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Juliana Barbassa (Translator)

Publisher Name

Transit Children's Editions

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

May 13, 2025

ISBN13

979-8893380026

ISBN10 or ASIN

From renowned Portuguese author and illustrator Catarina Sobral, Ashimpa is the story of a word that takes on a life of its own, leading young readers through the hilariously ashimpish life and grammar of a mysterious word.

One day, a researcher makes an important discovery. A mysterious word buried in an old dictionary: ASHIMPA.

Quickly the news spreads. Everyone wants to use the new word, but no one knows what it means or even what part of speech it belongs to. A 137-year-old is certain that it’s a verb: people ashimped and would always ashimp. A linguist is convinced it’s a noun. Soon there would be people who claimed to have seen live ashimpas—and in color. “They still exist abroad. They’re green!”

From renowned Portuguese author and illustrator Catarina Sobral, Ashimpa is the story of language that takes on a life of its own, leading young readers through the hilariously ashimpish life and grammar of a mysterious word.

Editor review

1 review

Quirky Story

November 14, 2025 (Updated: June 29, 2026)

Overall rating

3.7

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

3.0

Ashimpa is a quirky tale of a discovered word where the meaning is lost, and people try to use it anyway. They try using it as a noun, adjective, or verb, while never knowing if they are using it correctly. It fits perfectly with the 6-7 trend that also doesn’t really have a known meaning, but is cropping up everywhere. This book would complement a unit on grammar and a study on linguistics and the roots of words. Fans of Frindle by Andrew Clements should give this picture book a try because it is the same play on what language is and inspires the same wonder of how the words we have come to be. The illustrations and larger size of the book fit in with the general feeling of whimsy this tale inspires.