Maya & Gaia - A Special Birthday is an illustrated book for children of age 3-4 years old. With 40 pages and 20 illustrations, this is a touching story of a little girl Maya and her cat, Gaia. On the day of Gaia's birthday, Maya gives her a yellow bike as a gift. This is the start of an adventurous day where they go exploring their little town and the nearby woods. The exploration culminates in an encounter with a Dragon. Despite his terrible looks and the fiery grin , the Dragon is a sweet creature with lots of imagination and just looking for friends. At first, Maya and Gaia are scared and run away to hide behind a tree. However, they quickly realize that there is nothing to be afraid of. They approach him, trusting him and drawing him along to play. This is the start of an unexpected friendship and the continuation of a fun day. When sunset comes, Gaia's birthday cake is waiting for them at home. The Dragon then adds his personal touch lighting the birthday candles with his fire and making the celebration a little more special. With light-footed rhymes and bright illustrations, this is a story of heart and friendship. The book will be available in two languages and two versions: English and bilingual (English and Italian). Elena Biasin is both the author and illustrator.