Between one shower and another of rain, which hits the capital of São Paulo this afternoon (18), the traditional children’s carnival block Emília e Viscondes toured around Praça Rotary, in the center of the city, animating mainly children, fathers and mothers. Pulled by the puppets of the writers Mário de Andrade and Monteiro Lobato, the block honored, in this carnival, literature and revelry.
“I was very touched by a book by the author named André Neves, who has always had a strong emphasis on illustration for children’s books. And he made a very beautiful book called Thank you, in which he thanks several poets. He writes some verses in honor of the poets he likes and beautiful illustrations. I was very impressed with the book and so, this year, we decided to honor literature”, said the organizer of the block and president of Instituto Espaço Arterial, Vera Batista Alves.
She points out that it was difficult to imagine what it would be like to honor literature in a carnival block. “We then put the puppets of Mário and Monteiro Lobato carrying books, pulling the block. And the children, who participated in our workshops, made their own little book to carry on their backs, as if it were a wing, or like a purse”.
The block, which is already 17 years old, also included the participation of traditional dolls of famous characters from children’s literature, such as Saci Pererê, Cuca, Visconde de Sabugosa, Emília, Menino Maluquinho, and Little Witch. “We came almost every year to this block before the pandemic. My daughter was 4 years old, and today she is 8, and she continues to enjoy it”, said reveler Maria Inês Santos.
The block emerged in 2006 in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Monteiro Lobato Library, located at Praça Rotary, where the parade takes place.
