O National Children's Book Day is celebrated in the country in April 18th and is dedicated to promoting reading, especially in children's basic education.
Thus, this date recalls the importance of the habit of reading from an early age, since books are an important instrument of citizenship.
Celebrations vary across schools and can include: events, activities, library trips, presentations, reading rooms and circles, storytelling, insertion of school projects, etc.
Date Origin
This commemoration was created in 2002 during the government of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso through Law No. 10.402/02.
The choice of date is a tribute to one of the most influential writers of Brazilian literature of the 20th century, the pre-modernist Brazilian writer Monteiro Lobato. He was born on April 18, 1882, which is why this day is also called the MorninginMonteiroWere.
Lobato, who dedicated a large part of his life to children's literature, is considered the forerunner of children's literature in Brazil and paradidactic literature, which brings together play, reading and apprenticeship.
According to him:
“I'm already sick of writing to big guys. Bland bugs. But for children a book is a whole world.”.
Among his children's works, the most outstanding is the "Yellow Woodpecker Site”, a collection of approximately 25 storybooks, written between 1920 and 1947.
Some stories from the collection are:
- The Saci (1921)
- Reigns of Narizinho (1931)
- Pedrinho's Hunts (1933)
- Emilia in the Country of Grammar (1934)
- Geography of Dona Benta (1935)
- Stories of Aunt Nastácia (1937)
- The Viscount's Well (1937)
- The Yellow Woodpecker (1939)
In addition to Monteiro Lobato, other writers contributed to the dissemination of literature children in the country: Ana Ruth Rocha, Pedro Bandeira, Lygia Bojunga, Ziraldo, Maria Machado, Tatiana Belinky, etc.
International Children's Book Day
While the National Book Day is celebrated on April 18 in honor of Monteiro Lobato, the International Book Day is celebrated on the day April 2nd.
The international day was implemented in honor of the Danish children's writer called HansChristianAndersen (1805-1875). His best known works are: O Patinho Feio and A Pequena Sereia.
Read too:
- National Book Day
- April commemorative dates
- The Importance of Reading
- History of the Book