Brazil
158
Bojunga, Lygia
Sapato de salto (Shoe with heel)
Rio de Janeiro : Casa Lygia Bojunga, 2006. – 274 p.
ISBN 85-89020-18-5
Abandon – Prejudice – Sexuality – Friendship
In her new book, »Sapato de salto«, Lygia Bojunga, the first writer in Latin
America to win the IBBY Hans Christian Andersen Award (1982) and winner of the
ALMA Award (2004), again confirms her unique talent to deal with controversial
themes in a sensitive and delicate way. This intimate story reveals the dreams
and sadness of an orphan girl whose greatest ambition is dancing. One day, a
man takes her into his home as nanny. The girl longs to be part of his family
but soon realises that this isn’t possible for her. On the con-trary, she is
sexually abused by the man, an event which precociously starts her sexual
life. In the course of the story, the main protagonist’s life becomes
interlaced with the lives of many other characters whose actions are
determined either by their humanity or their prejudice towards the girl. (14+)
159
Karai, Luiz (text)
Abrahim, Rodrigo (illus.)
Massacre indígena guarani = Jurua reve nhande kuery joguero’a ague
(Guarani Indian Massacre)
São Paulo : Difusão Cultural do Livro, 2006. – 23 p.
ISBN 85-368-0192-1
(Bilingual ed.: Portuguese and Guarani)
Indigenous culture – Ethnic conflicts – Brazil/History
In the small village of Kavure, the religious leader elects his successor. The new »pajé«, Jekupe, at once points out the dangers of living in the immediate vicinity of white men. When a premonition prompts him to propose that they move to a different area, part of the group doesn’t respect his authority and decides to stay. This causes a cruel war between indigenous and non-indigenous people. The story is set in the 19th century and reflects the ethnic conflicts that have been smouldering in Latin America for the past 500 years, terminating many native communities. The bilingual text is accompanied by watercolour illustrations emphasising the characteristics of the indigenous people and portraying their environment in detail. (8+) <>
160
Machado, Ana Maria (text)
Martins, Maria Inês (illus.)
O menino e o maestro (The boy and the maestro)
São Paulo : Mercuryo Jovem, 2006. – 46 p.
ISBN 85-7272-220-3
Music – Talent – Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – Samba
Teleco is a talented young percussionist at a samba school. When his aptitude attracts the attention of an orchestra conductor, a wonderful friendship begins. One day, the conductor introduces him to the music of a symphonic orchestra and Mozart’s work. The young boy and the great composer have one thing in common: Their outstanding talent is discovered when they are small children, so they work hard and do not have any time left to play. Mozart’s music inspires Teleco to think about his own future and opens up new perspectives for him. The illustrations help to join two musical genres – popular and classical music. Hans-Christian-Andersen-Award-winner Ana Maria Machado crafts a touching story about the meeting between children and music in general, and between two different periods. (8+)
161
Riter, Caio
O rapaz que não era de Liverpool (The boy who was not from Liverpool)
São Paulo : Ed. SM, 2006. – 127 p.
(Barco a vapor; 12 : Série vermelha)
ISBN 85-7675-118-6
Adoption – Rock music – Family – Identity
The »soundtrack« of Marcelo’s life has always been full of Beatles songs. Through the influence of his father, the 15-year-old first got in touch with the music of the Liverpool boys and was soon convinced that his own family resembled a rock band. However, one day, the boy suddenly realises that his brown eyes just don’t match with the blue eyes of his parents and his brothers. Marcelo assumes that he was adopted as a baby. He is tormented by inner conflicts and can’t stop discussing and questioning everything around him. The non-linear narrative makes this story particularly attractive, especially because of the protagonist’s flashbacks that serve as an attempt to get to the core of the unsettling revelations. (12+)
162
Salerno, Silvana (text)
Cárcamo (illus.)
Viagem pelo Brasil em 52 histórias (Journey around Brazil in 52 stories)
São Paulo : Companhia das Letrinhas, 2006. – 160 p.
ISBN 85-7406-343-6
Brazil/History – Folklore – Tradition
This book unites some of the most famous tales, fables, and popular stories of Brazilian culture. Over the years, all of these narratives have been influenced by various cultures, mainly European, African, and indigenous Brazilian. These ancient stories, which share the typical characteristics of folklore, were not lost because they are recognised as an important part of Brazilian people’s life, recording their habits and history. The carefully retold tales are grouped according to the geographic region of their origin. The texts are accompanied by expressive illustrations and by photos and notes that help to place each story into a wider context. This book was inspired by
an anthology called »Volta ao mundo em 52 histórias«. (10+) <>
163
Vilela, Fernando (text/illus.)
Lampião & Lancelote <proper names>
São Paulo : CosacNaify, 2006. – 51 p.
ISBN 85-7503-526-6
Popular culture – Middle Ages – Poetry – Fight
This book is written in the form of a »cordel« text, a verse narrative that constitutes an important genre of popular Brazilian culture. In it, the author crafts an unusual encounter between the medieval knight Lancelot and the legendary »cangaceiro« (bandit) Lampião. They compete in a verbal combat that evokes their different times, their habits, the imaginary of medieval literature, and the typical language and setting of northern Brazil. The result is a truly original story in each passage and every brushstroke. The very expressive illustrations in extra-large landscape format contain numerous allusions to the two different epochs and cultures: Whereas Lancelot’s universe is depicted in silver, a colour that was also used in medieval book art, the woodcut-like illustrations in copper, reminiscent of the printing technique of »cordel« literature, represent Lampião’s world. Both in the text and the pictures, the two different worlds are merged into
a fascinating whole. (8+)