Organized by the National Library of Aruba, the Children’s Book Festival took place between the 2nd and the 9th of November 2018. Earlier this year, co-authors Levi and Rosabelle held a meeting with the book festival committee to introduce the unreleased Hearty the Book. The committee members immediately expressed enthusiasm to include Hearty in the festival. Considering this year’s theme was “friendship,” the committee expressed: “you cannot have friendship without the heart!” Hearty the Book was accepted in the program and Levi and Rosabelle began preparing their presentations.
During the festival, Levi and Rosabelle visited 11 classrooms to hold an interactive storytelling session with kindergartners, first- and second graders. The authors also held a public presentation at the library where, to their surprise, 150 kids showed up.
The anticipation for Curasonchi’s visit was evident at the schools. Some groups prepared a poem or a song which they performed collectively for the authors, others made Hearty hats and one kindergarten class even made a large Hearty puzzle which they gave the authors to take home.
The teachers and students so lovingly invested a great deal of energy and dedication to the Hearty-related activities. The National Library also bestowed an important role upon Hearty by proclaiming the heart as the symbol of friendship. All we can do is thank them, in the name of Hearty, with love.
Photography by Ayrton Tromp.
