I want to introduce you to Batiscafo, a project that invites us to immerse ourselves in the world of stories and children's reading. Within this bathyscaphe called Katiusca, we find Nick Kearney and Cristina Camarena, who have been collaborating for 17 years.
A very curious initiative, and also very interesting, that dives until you find interesting stories for children, and also focuses on promoting reading. Bathyscaphe It is an editorial that has been presented a few weeks ago and it has a great team of authors and illustrators, which will surely delight many families.
Bathyscaphe has a surprise prepared for us, is that the first book of stories (seven to be more exact), you can now buy in Spanish or Catalan. There are 128 pages of stories for children of approximately six to 11 years old, which you can buy online or at authorized Kirerei points of sale. In this period of advance sale, the book costs 16 euros (we save € 6), and shipping costs are free for Spain. The books will start arriving at the stores and home of the buyers in mid-May.
Intrigued (and at the same time amazed) by this beautiful project, I knocked on the door of the Bathyscaphe, and told Nick and Cristina that I would like to ask them some things. Here you have the interview, enjoy it. Peques and More.- What is Batiscafo? What is the seed that has made this beautiful project mature?
Bathyscaphe.- The project is born between the two. I think that without Cristina's encouragement and enthusiasm, this project would not have seen the light, since it was she who, seeing the story of the loft mouse, said we should publish it.
We seek to contribute to encourage reading, and somehow the publisher was born with that purpose
PyM.- A book, seven stories ... tell us what is special about them and why we will like them.
B.- On the one hand, each of these stories is great in itself. On the other hand, we had seen the possibility of making a collection, united by the story of Katiusca el Batiscafo, that had a lot of variety of stories and illustrations, ranging from comic tales like "The Boat of Nocilla", and corals such as "The number 7 of Sevastopol Street", some of fear as "The house next door", to tales of strange beings like "Inguso Pertinaz".
The loft mousePyM.- And after the first book?
B.- The second! We hope that Bathyscaphe in the Sea is a book that readers like very much, if that is the case, we will continue, since we have stories!
PyM.- But Batiscafo is not only editorial, your intentions go further or not?
B.- We seek to contribute to encourage reading, and somehow the publisher was born with that purpose. However, you have to go step by step, and for now we focus on trying to create books that you like very much.
The number 7 of Sevastopol streetPyM.- The reading of schools is promoted today, and parents seem to be sensitized about it, but is the health status of the reading / children relationship good?
B.- I see a lot of concern among parents about reading, and also a lot of concern about screens. It is thought that between video games and television you may be missing the habit of reading. It may be so, but I ask myself the question about parents. In Spain, how many parents do they usually read, that is, day by day and not only in San Jordi! If a child does not see his father read, he will not perceive reading as a valuable activity. I wonder a lot more about the health of the reading / adult relationship.
PyM.- Do not you think that children have more books available than we do at their age but also less ability to make comprehensive readings? What can be caused this?
B.- I don't agree with the statement and I don't know where it comes from. Our experience with children is that everyone in front of a book is able to make comprehensive readings. The question is perhaps whether that is facilitated or not.
The House next doorPyM.- What if you tell us some benefits of reading to our children?
B.- The most important thing about reading is that It helps us develop our imaginative capacity. The ability to imagine in other roles, to imagine the situation of other people is a key part of coexistence and tolerance and democracy and therefore fundamental to the good health of our society. In addition, imagination is one of the most beautiful and richest recreational places that can be found. Also the ability to understand words is something that should be exercised frequently, if we want to be people capable of creating and understanding messages, and thus interact expressively and richly with our surroundings.
Our experience with children is that everyone in front of a book is able to make comprehensive readings. The question is perhaps whether that is facilitated or not
PyM.- Would it be too much to ask you to tell us a couple of tricks (or three, or more) to bring literature to children successfully at home?
B.- I don't think there are tricks. The first step is that you read, enjoy, and that your child should see you reading and enjoying. Also comment on what you read, the story that has, the interesting, the beautiful. In other words, literature should be part of your life and your conversation, and therefore of your home. It goes without saying that having many books for children and adults around the house (and being used) is important. And finally, the co-reading of books is a very rich way to get into literature. Having a quiet time with your child, at some time during the day, perhaps bedtime, when you are together, intimately sharing the experience of reading a story is the best way to give value and meaning to reading.
Now I have to invite you to this trip, you can accompany Katiuscka, and You can join parents who want to bring reading to their children. This is a good opportunity, Batiscafo and his first storybook await you.
Thank you very much to Nick and Cristina for answering our questions, and thank you very much for creating this project, we really want to discover the stories Katiusca has encountered.
