A publishing house without books: when literature becomes cards and games

What would a game that combines colors, shapes, imaginary creatures, and literature be like without a single written word? The answer has a name: POPS (Small Poetic Objects), the original transparent card game created by writer Natalia Méndez and illustrator Lu Paul , published by Tinkuy . A project that invites you to layer, play, and narrate .

Méndez is an editor specializing in children's and young adult literature and a professor in the Editing program at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). She is also the author of poetry books, short stories, comics, and creative workshops for children. "The charm of the game was in the superposition, in how combining colors like yellow and magenta creates an unexpected orange; in how a pair of eyes and a texture can create a creature with its own identity," she tells Clarín .

Consisting of 49 transparent PVC cards, each card features body fragments, expressions, textures, and elements that, when layered, create unique, mutating characters . There's no one right way to play it—and that's partly the key to its charm.

With an eye toward colors and shapes , Lu Paul is a muralist and graphic designer in addition to being an illustrator . She has published more than 15 books and collaborates with publishers, cultural institutions, and artistic projects of all kinds. Her style combines technique, color, humor, and sensitivity.

“Illustrating cards side by side isn't the same as illustrating cards that overlap. Each card had to be able to match all the others,” explains the illustrator. “It was a huge technical and creative challenge,” shares Paul.

POPS offers seven ways to play, from inventing character names and biographies to creating collaborative stories or speed and memory games . But it also—and above all—opens the door to free imagination.

“My six-year-old son picked it up and started playing on his own, without instructions. That's what we were also looking for: for it to be intuitive, to invite exploration without fear of making mistakes,” says editor Ariel Marcel, who created Tinkuy with Gloria Claro.

Published and manufactured in Argentina, POPS is not only a playful rarity, but also a design object with a national seal. Production involved overcoming technical challenges: finding materials, adapting the printing to PVC, and achieving transparency without losing color or quality.

The result not only won over the local public: it's already being sold in Italy and other countries, where the product stands out for its universal appeal. "They asked us if it was made in China. And no: it's 100% Argentine production," celebrates the editor of Tinkuy.

Although initially intended for children, in practice POPS proved to be an intergenerational game . In testing and at the Children's and Young Adult Book Fair, adults, teens, and teachers enthusiastically joined in. Some used it at light tables, others integrated it into art and storytelling workshops, and some even used it as an analog selfie filter, placing it in front of their faces to invent a new identity.

"Everyone carries wonder in their own way, and something new always appears. The variety is endless," the illustrator emphasizes.

Amid a challenging landscape for the publishing world, with skyrocketing costs and increasingly fierce competition from abroad, there are projects that are taking a stand on their own with original, high-quality proposals . Tinkuy is one of them.

"Tinkuy" is a Quechua word that means "encounter." And that is precisely what these games propose: a space for encounter with words, with other people, and with oneself. Through illustrated cards, short texts, open instructions, or poetic prompts, the games invite us to imagine characters, tell stories, and, above all, share.

Behind the project are Ariel Marcel and Gloria Claro, who took on the challenge of publishing games with a craft-based approach and a strong foundation in education and literature. “At first, we had a more structured idea for the game. Over time, we realized that the most interesting thing happens when the game transforms , when the reader or player takes it in a different direction,” he tells Clarín .

In its early days, Tinkuy had to overcome the same obstacles as many independent publishers: the paper crisis, rising costs, and, more recently, competition from imported products sold online at very low prices.

“The paper we use for playing cards comes from Finland, and prices have tripled in recent years. Plus, anyone can now buy games directly from China using their mobile phone. We can't compete with that. But we can offer something different: literary quality, carefully curated objects, and ideas designed for play and creation ,” Marcel explains.

One of the keys to Tinkuy's growth was its connection to the educational field . Teachers are now a key part of its audience: they buy the games, use them in the classroom, and recommend them to colleagues and families. Many young parents also come looking for analog options to get their children away from screens.

“Play isn't just entertainment: it's a way of thinking, of expressing oneself, of connecting . And that's something we see every time someone sits down to play. Little ones immerse themselves in the world of play with incredible ease. And for adults, it offers the opportunity to reconnect with that inner child we all carry within us,” says Marcel.

With the game Pops (an acronym for Pequeños Objetos Poéticos), Tinkuy has just launched three new offerings: Puro teatro and ¡Canejo!, games that cross genres and formats , designed for both classrooms and family dinners. Additionally, at the next edition of the Publishers' Fair (FED), they will present Tertulia, a game developed in collaboration with Ediciones Godot.

“ Gaming is about experimentation. The more you play it, the more it opens up . Our games don't have a single way to be used: every time someone picks them up, they give them a new meaning. And that excites us: seeing how they transform in the hands of others,” the editor concludes.