Talk about books with the writers on the website where he works with the President – Diário de Notícias – Lisbon

Luísa Ducla Soares was in Bethlehem to talk with students 1.2nd and.Th years about your books and your experience. Marcelo was the host and even offered a snack and took pictures

at The appointed time Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was hoped by the boys that they were going to participate in the second session of the first day of the programme “Writers at the Palácio de Belém”. The students of the 1.Th year, although 10 minutes late, arrived first that of 2.Th year, they had a malfunction on the bus. Twenty minutes beyond the appointed time – 14.00 – began the conversation with the writer Luísa Ducla Soares. The morning had been the time of Ana Maria Magalhães receive students and then José Jorge Letria,

The delay did not take the good mood when the President of the Republic. As soon as everyone sat down, Marcelo began by putting them at ease, asking students and teachers if they both did not wear well. “It is very good to have them here. You know how you call this website? Palace of Belém, where he works with the President of the Republic and invited this lady who writes books for boys very well to come here to talk with you. In the end, if they behave themselves, they go to the garden and give one back. But the most important thing today is to read books.”

The words of the receipt of the President was followed by the stories of the principal guest. On the chairs I heard them were children 6 to 8 years, which means that not all know how to read alone, still. But, the students of the basic school St. John of God, of the pool, Dona Filipa de Lencastre, Lisbon, had the lesson well studied, and many questions prepared.

Luísa Ducla Soares began by reading a views of those who defend and enlisted the help of the audience to complete it. The author, of 77 years and with more than 150 books in the curriculum, plucked the first exclamation of astonishment when he said that he had worked in the largest library in the country, “where there are three million books.”

The second “d” was ripped off when Luísa Ducla Soares said that he wrote his books in her spare time and that many times “began to write at ten in the evening, and sometimes not slept”.

The little ones wanted to know where it came the inspiration for many stories and Luísa Ducla Soares has revealed that this may come of a great joy or a moment of anger. In this last case you gave as an example an episode of violence that he saw in a school. In which a boy beat his head against the wall and after several attempts to stop, the writer went to the teacher who explained that he only did that because the other boy was of a different color. “The anger that I felt in that moment led me to use the only weapon that I had at my disposal, which was the pen. I wrote the Boys of all colors, which then became part of the case’s pedagogical UNICEF and the Oikos, which too me proud”.

The session ended with a race up to the balcony, with views of the gardens. Under the challenge in jest of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa: “The last to arrive is silly.” Once on the balcony, all together – the teachers, the President of the Republic and students”, “banana”, while looking for the various cameras.

After several photos, Marcelo finally gave the indication that more small – restless by nature – waiting: “Now they can all go to the gardens”. But the kids ended up not going down, stopped by the path before the supply of orange juice and pastéis de Belém. In the middle of this snack improvised, Bartholomew, age 7, told us that you like books. At home, however, prefer that parents to tell you about the adventures of Harry Potter. Already Madeleine, age 6, “do not know” Luísa Ducla Soares, and their stories favorites are “the Rapunzel and Snow White”. In the queue of the autographs, Louis, of 8 years, presents the two books of the author to sign. “Like a lot of the stories in it, as are a lot of fun,” explains the fan of inch and a half.

The initiative will extend every Tuesday until may 23. A sign is a stimulus to reading” which is given by the Presidency, explained Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. “The idea is to communicate to schools that the President of the Republic sponsors and adds value to the reading of the books varied, of the authors who are chosen by the teachers and by the students in the range of the National Reading Plan,” added the advisor to the Education, Isabel Alçada.

Luísa Ducla Soares praises the presidential initiative and hopes that this program can “be an example” and that calls “attention to the importance of reading in children”.