Abrapalabra is born, a children’s and youth literature festival that celebrates reading as a “refuge”

The Montemadrid Foundation and La Fábrica have announced the birth of Abrapalabra children’s and youth literature festival, which will take place in Madrid between December 10 and 15 with La Casa Encendida as the main venue.

“A festival that aims to open paths where literature is a bridge that allows us to save what is deep and a refuge where we feel safe.“, explained in a statement the artistic director, writer, editor and oral narrator, Ana Cristina Herreros.

With a program of more than 60 activities to promote reading, Abrapalabra seeks to offer children culture and books so that they can “investigate” for themselves, “develop their creative potential” and find answers to your questions and solutions “to your fears”, as stated by director of Cultural and Environmental Centers and Programs of the Montemadrid Foundation, Pablo Berástegui.

The activities, which will take place at La Casa Encendida, will also be extended to schools and libraries in the city of Madrid with artists, illustrators and creators in multiple formats: creative workshops, meetings, conversations, oral narration, puppets, shows and exhibitions to enjoy as a family from the wide universe of children’s and youth literature.

Among these activities, it will host a series of conversations with Irene Vallejo and Gustavo Martín Garzo. Also participating, among others, will be the philosopher Santiago Alba Ricothe writer Juan Cruz Igerabidethe philosopher and mediator Ellen Duthie, the writer Giovanni Nucci, or the illustrator Paloma Valdivia.

In addition, the Festival will have the presence of the Binefar PuppeteersNational Theater Award for Children and Youth in 2009, and his show ‘In the mouth of the wolf’; as well as authors such as Estrella Ortiz, Unpuntocurioso or the artist and musician Christian Fernandez Mironwho will conduct a storytelling and singing program aimed at babies and very young children.

Among the objectives of Abrapalabra is the rescue the library as a place of rapprochement between neighbors and the book as an excuse to meet. To this end, public libraries in the Community will host the intergenerational meetings of the ‘An author in the suitcase’ program.