SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) –
According to a press release from Drs. Loekie Morales on Saturday, her Spanish language book ‘Chella y la Mujer Misteroisa’ is finally released by Beyond Kultura Events Foundation (BKE). Recently the full-coloured book was handed over to the representative of the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund Caribbean, in Scherpenheuvel, Curaçao, by the author’s sister Elta Paulina Morales. The Prins Bernhard Cultural Fund Caribbean has subsidized the translation costs of the book, which will be soon handed over to the Jubilee Library in Philipsburg.
The book is a thriller for children from 8 years and up. It depicts the story of a stubborn girl who won’t listen to her grandmother and will find herself in a desperate situation. ‘The story teaches children to open their eyes and ears to strange things happening in their surroundings. They learn that being obedient to good parents has a simple and protected goal. That they cannot go away with strangers, even how nice and sweet they look like.’ Morales stated in the press release.
“What is the motivation for a Spanish book?” ‘There are more and more children today, who are Spanish speaking on Sint Maarten and in Curaçao. Many are grown up without books or hardly come into contact with reading books. Some are hardly reading out loud. The Beyond Kultura Events Foundation (BKE) aims to promote reading and writing, but also storytelling. This book can stimulate more Spanish speaking children to read (more), listen to stories and to use fantasies, to invent stories and to share them with their peers. This stimulates the ability to listen better, and also enhancing the art of understanding what they read. Publish children books in more languages is one of the aims of Beyond Kultura. By publishing in Spanish, BKE reaches out to other children in the Spanish speaking Caribbean region, as well. ‘Chella y la Mujer Misteroisa’ will also be used in our upcoming Kids Night Out 2019, our story night evening for children, which will take place coming Saturday 6th of July in the Cultural Center in Philipsburg.’ Morales concluded.
The story is beautifully illustrated by illustrator Penka Petkova, who is a well-known artist of mural paintings on Sint Maarten. The 500 printed copies will be mainly used to encourage migrant children of Spanish speaking background to read more.
The books will be spread over primary schools, children’s afternoon programs on Sint Maarten to support comprehensive reading. The Curaçao schools will get a couple of copies for their libraries. All primary schools of St. Maarten and of Curacao will get reading books free of charge per school.
