The first version of The Apprentice Poet was written by Vinicius de Moraes in 1958, in Montevideo, and included in the book Para viver um grande amor, from 1962. Years later, the poem would become a song, in partnership with Toquinho. Now, it returns in a book-record designed by Adriana Calcanhotto, who performs the music and writes the illustrations. The story of the song is curious. Toquinho began setting an excerpt of the poem to music in Italy, in 1968, without telling Vinicius. After working on the adaptation for some time, he found himself faced with a difficulty that prevented him from continuing and ended up revealing the idea to his partner. Vinicius was enthusiastic about the idea, and the song was finally recorded by the duo in 1971.
The book-record was conceived by Calcanhotto as a gift for Nina, the singer's goddaughter and Vinicius' great-granddaughter. The verses talk about a boy who dreams of being a poet and describe the world of children in a humorous way. The rich and fun language is highlighted by the glossary of this edition, which, in addition to explaining some words, draws attention to curiosities in the poem. The disc that accompanies the edition has three tracks: Adriana Calcanhotto's interpretation, Vinicius himself reading the poem and a karaoke (a track with just the music) so that the listener can experience the pleasure of interpreting the song.
