National Children's Book Day (April 18)

National Children's Book Day is celebrated in the country on April 18 and is dedicated to the promotion of reading, above all, in basic children's schooling.

In this way, this date recalls the importance of the habit of reading from an early age, since the book is an important instrument of citizenship.

Celebrations vary across schools and can include:events, activities, library trips, presentations, reading rooms and circles, storytelling, insertion of school projects, etc.

Date Origin

This commemoration was created in 2002 during the government of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso through Law No. 10,402/02.

The choice of date is a tribute to one of the most influential writers of Brazilian literature of the 20th century, the pre-modernist Brazilian writer Monteiro Lobato. He was born on April 18, 1882, which is why this day is also called Day from Monteiro Lobato .

Lobato, who devoted much of his life to children's literature, is considered the precursor of children's literature in Brazil and paradidactic literature, which combines play, reading and learning.

According to him:

Among his children's works, the most outstanding is the “Sítio do Pica-Pau Amarelo ”, a collection of approximately 25 storybooks, written between 1920 and 1947.

Some stories from the collection are:

• The Saci (1921)
• Reigns of Narizinho (1931)
• Pedro Hunts (1933)
• Emilia in the Land of Grammar (1934)
• Geography of Dona Benta (1935)
• Stories of Aunt Nastácia (1937)
• The Viscount's Well (1937)
• The Yellow Woodpecker (1939)

In addition to Monteiro Lobato, other writers contributed to the dissemination of children's literature in the country:Ana Ruth Rocha, Pedro Bandeira, Lygia Bojunga, Ziraldo, Maria Machado, Tatiana Belinky, etc.

International Children's Book Day

While National Book Day is celebrated on April 18th in honor of Monteiro Lobato, International Book Day is celebrated on April 2nd .

The international day was implemented in honor of the Danish children's writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). His best known works are:The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid.

Read Also :

• National Book Day
• April Commemorative Dates
• The Importance of Reading
• Book History