María Elena Walsh (1 February 1930 – 10 January 2011) was an Argentine poet, novelist, musician, playwright, writer and composer, mainly known for her songs and books for children.

In 1947, before graduating from art school, she published her first book, Otoño Imperdonable, a collection of poems that was critically acclaimed and received recognition from important Latin American writers.

[1][2] After graduation in 1948, she traveled to North America at the invitation of poet Juan Ramón Jiménez, and Europe during the era of Peronism and then moved to Paris, where she spent four years in the early 1950s.

From 1958 onwards, Walsh wrote numerous TV scripts, plays, poems, books and songs, specially dedicated to young children.

[7] During the military dictatorship (1976–83) she was a fierce opponent, her song "Oración a la justicia" (Prayer for Justice) became a civil right anthem.

The album Canciones para Mí was her first release as a soloist, containing the songs Canción de Tomar el Té and Manuelita la tortuga (which had been previously edited on an EP).