More than 3.000 schoolchildren from LorcaStudents from 19 schools in the municipality are preparing to share a classroom, even if only for a short time, with some of the best-known names in children's and young adult literature in Spain. This is the latest edition of the municipal program. Author Encounters This course begins with more sessions, more students and a literary program that runs from Early Childhood Education to 4th year of ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education).
The initiative, promoted by the Municipal Library Network from Lorca In collaboration with several leading publishers, it will take place between January and April and this time includes a increase of around five hundred students compared to the previous year. The objective is clear: to reinforce the reading habit and facilitate a direct and close contact between young readers and those who write the books they work on in class.
A program that is growing and becoming more established
This edition has been scheduled 18 literary encountersAll of these sessions took place during morning school hours, so that students could participate within the school day without excessively disrupting their academic routine. previously arranged with the educational centerswho have chosen the most appropriate proposals for each level and stage.
The Education Councillor of the Lorca City Council, Rosa María MedinaShe emphasized that the increased participation “highlights the program’s potential and the continued effort of the Municipal Library Network team.” For the municipal official, reading remains a key tool in personal and educational development of the students, and this type of activity reinforces that role.
The 3.033 participating students They cover from Early Childhood Education to the 4th year of Compulsory Secondary Education, which allows for the design of a reading itinerary Very comprehensive, with proposals that evolve in complexity and theme as the students get older. Each group will work with the books in the classroom beforehand, so they arrive at the meeting with the authors prepared with readings, noted questions, and a curiosity to explore.
The program is organized with the support of the publishers. Anaya, Everest, SM and Edebé, specialized labels in children's and youth literatureThanks to this collaboration, the following have been selected 14 different titles that cover a wide variety of topics, from adventure and mystery to civic values, environmental protection, or adapted classics.
Literary settings: libraries and cultural spaces
The main venues for the Encounters with Authors will be the Pilar Barnés Library, which will host a good part of the sessions in its activity room, and the Francisco Jódar Trade Fair and Congress Centrewhich will be used especially for larger groups and higher stages. In addition, some meetings will be moved to the La Hoya library and to the San José neighborhoodbringing the programming closer to different points in the municipality.
This distribution of spaces allows the initiative to not only focus on the urban center, but also reach the outlying districts and neighborhoods, reinforcing the role of libraries as cultural landmarks for all citizensFor many students, these visits also represent their first active contact with the network of municipal libraries, beyond occasional use as a study room.
The sessions are conducted in a simple and engaging format: the author briefly presents their work, shares anecdotes about the writing process, and answers questions prepared by the students. Direct dialogue between students and writers It transforms reading into something lively and participatory, moving it away from the idea of a mandatory and purely school-based activity.
The choice of venues such as the Francisco Jódar Trade Fair and Congress Center or the auditoriums of institutes such as the IES Príncipe de Asturias responds to the need to to accommodate large groups of Secondary School students without sacrificing comfort and good visibility. In this way, the program can continue to grow without compromising the quality of the user experience.
Ten authors for fourteen stories
This course's program brings together 10 authors of children's and young adult literature with a solid track record in the Spanish field. Participants will include, among others, Cuca Canals, Diego Arboleda, Ginés Sánchez, Llanos Campos, Marisa López Soria, Noelia Salas Román, Roberto Aliaga, Rosa Huertas, Santica Ortega and Violeta Monreal, all of them with works that are already part of the regular reading in many educational centers.
For students of Childhood education, the illustrator and writer Purple Monreal He will be a key figure, with titles such as The sick sea o What animal is it? Published by Everest Publishing. These works, focused on discovering the environment and respecting nature, allow for a very visual approach to developing early reading habits and values education.
In the courses of PrimaryThe offer expands with proposals such as Jurassic Patrol y The world's largest scarf de Diego Arboleda (Anaya), How much left? y The summer we ate the moon de Marisa López Soria (Edebé), or the titles of Rosa Huertas for beginning readers and upper elementary students, such as My first book about Cervantes y Defenders of the SeaThese books combine humor, adventure, and literary references that help to spark curiosity.
For students of Middle SchoolThe program includes titles such as Barracuda's Treasure de Plains Fields (SM), a pirate story that is very popular in classrooms, or The sea behind de Gines Sanchez (SM), aimed at 3rd and 4th year ESO students. At these ages, the aim is to enhance reflection, critical thinking and analytical skills, without losing sight of the entertainment component.
The list of books is completed with works such as Welcome cake de Robert Aliaga (SM), which works on integration and reception, or Stories to read in one or two moments de Santica Ortega, plus Filip, the happy little dog de Noelia Salas Romándesigned for the early years of primary school. All these stories have been selected for their ability to to engage very different readers, both to those who already read frequently and to those who approach books with more reservations.
Calendar from January to April: Literature enters the classroom
The schedule for Encounters with Authors extends from mid-January until Aprilwith activities almost every week. Far from concentrating all the appointments in just a few days, the program is spread throughout the term so that teachers can work on the books before and after each visit.
En January The sessions begin with the proposals of Purple Monreal at the Pilar Barnés Library and with the meetings with cuca canals at the Francisco Jódar Trade Fair and Congress Center and in the auditorium of the Príncipe de Asturias High School. Among the works to be discussed are Jurassic Patrol for 3rd and 4th grade of Primary School and the titles of the Barcelona-based author about characters such as Dan Quixote or the young Poe, aimed at 5th and 6th grade of Primary School and the first years of Secondary School.
The month of in February It features a large part of the programming. Violeta Monreal's visits are frequent. The sick sea y What animal is it? For children, the meetings with Diego Arboleda around The world's largest scarf for 3rd and 4th grade of Primary School, and the sessions of Marisa López Soria with How much left? y The summer we ate the moonaimed at the beginning and end of primary school. Also in February, Rosa Huertas works with the youngest students starting from My first book about Cervantes and with fifth and sixth through Defenders of the SeaWhile Gines Sanchez It is aimed at 3rd and 4th year ESO students with The sea behind at the Trade Fair and Congress Centre.
En March The focus is on secondary school and upper primary school students. First and second year secondary school students will have the opportunity to talk with Plains Fields about Barracuda's Treasurewhile the 3rd and 4th grade groups will meet with Robert Aliaga to talk of Welcome cakeThese meetings will mostly be held in Hall A of the Trade Fair and Congress Center, which is equipped to accommodate several groups from different centers at the same time.
The program's closing comes in April, with a focus more on early readers. In the San José neighborhood library, Santica Ortega will present Stories to read in one or two momentsWhile Noelia Salas Román will share with the students the universe of Filip, the happy little dog at the Pilar Barnés Library and at another location yet to be determined. These final sessions allow us to wrap up the term with short readings that are very relevant to children's daily lives.
A boost to reading habits and the cultural life of the municipality
The Department of Education emphasizes that this program is not simply about adding activities to the calendar, but rather It reinforces the municipal strategy for promoting reading.The growing participation of schools and students indicates that the educational community perceives these meetings as a useful complement to daily classroom work.
The fact that students can ask the writer directly about how a story came about, how long it took to write, or what inspires them, transforms the book into something much more relatable. That experience of to put a face and voice to the person behind the pages It helps many students to be encouraged to read other titles by the same author or even to write their own texts.
For municipal libraries, the program also represents a way of revitalize your spacesThe sessions are complemented by book loans, small displays of new releases, and reading recommendations for children, young adults, and families. In many cases, after the activity, students borrow the book they studied or related titles.
The Lorca City Council emphasizes that the Encounters with the Author are part of a broader agenda of presentations and workshops and cultural events organized throughout the year in the library network, both in the town center and in the outlying districts. The aim is to maintain a continuous and accessible cultural offering, that it is not limited to specific dates.
With over 3.000 schoolchildren involved, 10 guest authors, 18 sessions, and 14 books on offer, the "Encounters with Authors" program has established itself as one of the most powerful educational and cultural initiatives in the municipality of Lorca, uniting the work of schools and institutes with the actions of the library network to make reading an integral part of the curriculum. daily life of childhood and youth.
