Presentation of the book “The boy who climbed the ladder”
- Ercilla Room, National Library, Alameda 651, Metro Santa Lucía.
- Tuesday, April 2 – 10:30 am.
When the National Library turned 210 years old, on August 19, 2023, it decided to celebrate with a book for girls and boys. The book, called “The Boy Who Climbed the Ladder” (National Library Editions), was written by Claudio Aguilera and illustrated by Gabriela Lyon, and can be downloaded for free, to be read from all over the world.
“The Boy Who Climbed the Ladder” is set in the year 1928. The National Library, then, had just opened the doors of its new headquarters, in the center of Santiago, and a special place in the building was occupied by the Children’s Reading Room , which was where the Music Archive is today.
In the book there is Margarita, the person in charge of the Children’s Reading Room, and Manolo, a supplementary child, who runs through the streets of Santiago with bare feet, selling newspapers. One day, they both meet and it is thanks to that meeting that Manolo climbs the stairs of the National Library and falls in love with reading.
Margarita is a character inspired by reality. In 1928, Margarita Mieres Cartes was the person in charge of the Children’s Reading Room and was known for bringing books to girls and boys in the poorest neighborhoods of Santiago. She is sure that many children like Manolo learned about books thanks to Margarita.
You can download “The Boy Who Climbed the Ladder” for free from the site National Digital Libraryor borrow it in the Home Loan Room of the National Library, which has its doors open to today’s girls and boys.