By Ariel Ferrero – SunnyNews & FMGN

At a time when destinations are increasingly defined not only by geography but by emotion and narrative, a short story set in New York City is quietly bridging literature and travel storytelling.

That story is “La Juguetería”, part of Cuentos Beatle (Beatle Stories), the latest publication by the independent Argentine publishing house Hoja Por Hoja, presented at the Buenos Aires International Book Fair at the City of Buenos Aires stand.

The book brings together a curated selection of short stories born from a literary contest launched during the pandemic — an initiative that quickly exceeded expectations and evolved into a broader editorial project.

The idea emerged when daily life came to a sudden halt. A group of writers and friends — all with academic backgrounds in Literature — decided to transform uncertainty into a creative space for storytelling.

“We thought we would receive around 40 stories… but nearly 180 were submitted. It was a huge surprise,” said Graciela Cutuli, co-founder of Hoja Por Hoja.

Following that response, a jury was assembled to evaluate the works, leading to the publication of a selection of the most compelling stories. The editorial vision behind the project goes beyond content, focusing on the physical and emotional experience of the book itself.

“For us, a book is not just something you read — it’s an aesthetic object. Something you can hold, share, lend and keep. Each book has its own identity,” Cutuli explained.

Among the selected works is “La Juguetería”, written by Ariel Ferrero — Director of SunnyNews and Co-Director of FMGN Press Group — which imagines a fictional encounter with Yoko Ono in July 2000, at the entrance of the iconic FAO Schwarz toy store in New York City.

The story unfolds as an intimate and imagined conversation, where memory, coincidence and emotional perception intertwine, blurring the line between reality and fiction.

“In my many visits to New York — my second city after Buenos Aires — I’ve collected countless stories. One of them was a chance encounter with Yoko Ono on a hot July afternoon in 2000, in a New York that still lived without the paranoia that would arrive just a year later,” Ferrero said.

Beyond its literary value, the story naturally incorporates a travel dimension. New York is not only the setting, but also a central narrative element — a symbolic meeting point where cultures, generations and personal experiences converge.

This approach reflects a broader shift in how destinations are represented globally: no longer just physical locations, but emotional landscapes shaped by individual stories.

In that sense, “La Juguetería” positions New York not simply as a place, but as a state of mind — one that continues to inspire both travelers and storytellers.

The book is currently available at Librerías Santa Fe, a bookstore chain with multiple locations across Buenos Aires.

By Ariel Ferrero