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@kidsbookexplorer
www.kidsbookexplorer.com
Based in Australia and born in Moldova, Natalia Bragaru is a passionate explorer of illustrated literature who turns each book into a window of wonder. A finance professional by training, she transformed her analytical precision into a refined curatorial eye through her blog KidsBookExplorer, an acclaimed space where more than 150,000 visitors have discovered her thoughtful reviews and visual journeys.
Her collection began around 2012, when her five-year-old son played the White Rabbit in a children’s theatre adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Searching for the perfect illustrated edition for their reading sessions, Natalia fell down the rabbit hole herself, from Helen Oxenbury to Maggie Taylor, from Robert Ingpen to surrealist artists like Švankmajer and Silberman. Today, she owns over 100 editions of Alice, 70 original artworks mainly by Australian and Russian illustrators, and a few rare Snarks that add a touch of mystery to her shelves.
Here we show part of her collection displayed on bookshelves and in thematic arrangements, often grouped by country, as well as her brilliant sculpture inside a book, a piece that evokes Robert Ingpen’s Magic Bookcase. Her interviews with artists such as Gavin L. O’Keefe have been published in Knight Letter, the journal of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America.
Natalia represents the Savvy Reader type of collector: one who integrates Alice into a broader constellation of art and children’s literature. Her Wonderland is not only a personal collection but also a space of learning, inspiration, and dialogue where stories continue to expand the imagination of all who enter.
In addition to her curatorial work, Natalia has served as a Judge for the 2024 and 2025 Book of the Year Awards by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, in the categories of Picture Books and New Illustrator. These awards, among the most prestigious and long-standing in Australia, have been held annually since 1946, reflecting her deep engagement with the world of contemporary illustration and storytelling.
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