Novelties to read during the longest nights of the year

HelMet- New books for children and youth from Colombia, Chile and Argentina.

During Kolibrí, a new selection of children’s literature in Spanish by Latinamerican authors was delivered. This time it was received by the Sello library. And they are already there, just waiting to be reserved and taken home.

This article is of interest to the families using Spanish at home, to teachers of Spanish – both as foreign and heritage language – as well as to all those interested in children’s literature in Spanish in Finland. We’ll present the books, give a brief overview of their authors as well as some recommendations. Also, you’ll find the link to HelMet online, where you can reserve them and go on browsing. Here they are, hope you’ll enjoy them.

Colombia

  • 24 señales para descubrir a un alíen. (2018) Author: Juliana Muñoz Toro; illustrator: Elizabeth Builes. Milenio. Colombia.
    A novel recommended for over 11-year olds that won the Tragaluz Award 2016, and was selected to the Honours List of The White Ravens of the Youth Library of Munich. Juliana is a writer and a journalist. As a Bonus, Helmet also proposes one of her novels for adults: Los últimos días de hambre (2018)
  • Dos ratones, una rata y un queso. (2015) Author: Claudia Rueda. Océano Travesía. 3rd edition. Colombia.
    Could it be that those who break and share always get the best part? This book is recommended for over 5-year olds. Claudia Rueda is a writer and a lawyer. She has written and illustrated over 10 books, a few of which were originally published in English. She won, among others, the Annual Conference Award of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, in New York in 2002 and 2003. Some of her books can be found on Helmet translated in French and Russian.
  • El terror de sexto “B” (2018) Author and illustrator: Yolanda Reyes. Loqueleo, 3rd edition. Colombia.
    A novel recommended for over 11-year olds, recipient of the Noveles Talentos de Fundalectura 1994 Award; selected to the Honours List of The White Ravens of the Youth Library of Munich and to “Los mejores libros para niños”of the Book Bank of Venezuela Yolanda is a writer and an educator, among other projects, she runs “Espantapájaros” https://espantapajaros.com/ a program for the promotion of reading in childhood and youth in Bogotá.
  • La alegría de querer. (2001) Author: Jairo Aníbal Niño; illustrator: Patricia Acosta. Panamericana. Colombia.
    A love poetry book for children and youth, inspired by the everyday life of children in Colombia. Jairo was a very well known narrator and playwright renowned for his literary work for children; he is a key figure in Colombian literature.
  • Socaire y el capitán loco. (2017) Author: Pilar Lozano; illustrator: Henry Gonzales. Panamericana Editorial. Colombia.
    A hilarious, funny story recommended for over 8-year olds. Pilar Lozano wrote a great deal about Colombia and her youth. Among other challenges, she took up writing on difficult themes for the youngest ones, much like other Colombian writers: Yolanda Reyes and Triunfo Arciniega. Also their books can be found on Helmet.
  • Tumaco. (2014) Author: Oscar Pantoja; Illustrator Jim Pluk. Editorial Rey Naranjo. Colombia.
    A silent book suitable for over 6-year olds. It is about a wish so strong it can break barriers and kick the dreams as far as you like… Oscar is a writer, scriptwriter of graphic novels and a filmmaker. He won the Alejo Carpentier Award for his novel “El Hijo”, 2001.

Chile

  • Prosa y poesía escolar. (2019) Author: Gabriela Mistral. Ediciones Biblioteca Nacional. Chile.
    This is a compilation of Gabriela’s writings published in Chilean National Education textbooks, as part of the celebration of the 130 years since her birth. Gabriela was a teacher, a poet and a diplomat. She was the first Iberoamerican to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature (1945). The National Library of Chile shares with the wörld this selection of writings. On HelMet. you can find some of Gabriela’s texts translated into Finnish.

Argentina

  • Monstruopedia – Bestiario Zoológico. (2017) Author and illustrator: María Gabriela Brewer. Argentina.
    A playful, illustrated book full of scientific knowledge. An invitation to combine real animals in order to create new creatures. We recommend it for over 4-year olds. Gabriela is a young graphic designer and illustrator.

These books are part of the HelMet collection of children’s literature in Spanish, 1444 titles!

In order to gain an easy access to the titles in the Collection, we recommend you use the search and reserve online services of HelMet. This way, you’ll be able to pick up your books in the library closest to your home. Go here for our user-friendly instructions on how to navigate the system. https://www.kolibrifestivaali.org//es/2019/06/19/helmet/

Happy searching and reading!

Kulttuurikeskus Ninho and the HelMet collection of children’s literature

Many of us at Ninho are active users of the HelMet collection of children’s literature in Spanish, and have studied it. We therefore know that the number of books from Latinamerican publishers in the collection is significantly smaller than that of titles published in Spain. When it comes to books in Portuguese, the number is much smaller.

This is why, in 2016, our association, Kulttuurikeskus Ninho, decided to promote a program in order to diversify this collection and introduce new titles; thus boosting the promotion of reading in childhood, already ongoing in libraries in the shape of reading groups for parents, such as Tres Nubes, Tres Manzanas and Tres Cerros.

Thanks to the support of Latinamerican embassies in Finland and the Portuguese institution for the promotion of reading, we have handed over more than 100 books in the past four years. In 2019, we had the support of Colombian and Chilean embassies, as well as that of María Gabriela Brewer, the Argentinian illustrator, all of which has brought us new books that we all will be able to access through HelMet. In previous years, the embassies of Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay, the Direction 0f Libraries and Archives of Portugal and the Spanish writer José Ruiz, have contributed to our cause.

Traducción: Paula Hecq – Photos: Maikki Kantola and Eduardo Acosta