Selection - FNLIJ

Created in 1999, it lasts for 12 days and is
totally devoted to books and reading. More than
70 children’s book publishers and more than
100 authors (writers and illustrators) present
their books to children and young people from
public and private schools, in Rio de Janeiro and
neighboring cities. The children arrive in buses
brought by their teachers. Textbooks, religious,
self-help or reference books are not displayed in
Salão. Only literature and non-fiction books are
displayed and sold. The first day of Salão FNLIJ
is totally dedicated to teachers who are guided
throughout the Salão by FNLIJ’s teachers to
visit the publishers’ booths.
The children meet the authors and illustrators
in a space dedicated to it: “Espaço FNLIJ
de Leitura” (Reading Space) and at the different
libraries (for children, adolescents and educators)
organized in the Salão. It is a unique event
in the country and we hope that all those interested
in reading promotion can follow the same
direction.
FNLIJ Seminar on Literature for Children
and Young People is a parallel activity to the
Salão. Besides Brazilian literature, experts and
authors from the invited country participate
in the seminar presenting their books and
illustrations. One day is dedicated to meet the
Brazilian Indigenous writers who, in 2010, will
meet for the 7 th time under the leadership of
Daniel Munduruku, who has been awarded
with the Honorable Mention of the UNESCO
Prize for Children and Young People’s Literature
in the Service of Tolerance in 2003.
With the support of an NGO, the Ecofuturo
Institute, created in 1999, through an initiative
of Suzano Paper Company, FNLIJ is responsible
for setting up Community Libraries in areas
without access to quality books and with
shortage of libraries. FNLIJ is aloso responsible
for setting up the library methodology with
courses on Reading promoter and Library assistant
in addition to selecting the book collection.
In July 2009 it was launched in Brazil the
Movimento Brasil Literário (Movement for a
Literary Brazil) organized by C&A Institute,
from C&A store, the Ecofuturo Institute, Casa
Azul (Paraty Literary Festival) and Luis Freire
Center for Culture, together with FNLIJ. This
Movimento was launched by a Manifest, written
by the author Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós.
The site www.brasilliterario.org.br, presents
the Manifest in English and Spanish. There are
several new actions being organized in order to
take the proposal on reading literature all over
Brazil. Each day more people are joining the
Movimento. We recognize that this is an audacious
proposal for a country with great challenges
to face. But we are convinced of its relevance.
A quality education begins in the family,
through the experience with reading literature
books, and should continue in school among
teachers and friends. We cannot wait any
more to raise the literature flag. Access to
literature is a right that must be assured to all
as it contributes to the understanding among
peoples and to peace, as believed Jella Lepman,
the founder of IBBY.
The book selection prepared each year to
the Bologna Book Fair, organized in catalogs,
like this one you have in your hands, reflects
our mission and a little of our work.We hope
that you will enjoy this selection of books
published in Brazil in 2009 as well as the
topics in focus. We also hope that you will look
for/read here our artists’ constant search for
originality. Freedom of expression is inherent
in the work art and the Brazilian authors reject
authoritarianism and what is presented as
ordinary.
We conclude this presentation, declaring our
pride and admiration to the Brazilian children
and young people’s literature authors and
their publishers for their contribution to the
education of the Brazilian children and youth
through their books and we long to share their
books with children and young people from
other countries.
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