I
In this conetnt we will focus on the field of children’s education in Brazil, introducing some of the most famous children’s book authors in the country. Keep reading and check them out:
Ziraldo (1932–2024)
Ziraldo was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1932 and passed away in Rio de Janeiro in 2024, at the age of 91. Always present in children’s literature themes, Ziraldo was a Brazilian icon and one of the greatest writers of children’s literature in the country. He began his writing career very young, at the age of 12, and throughout his career, he wrote children’s books, cartoons, and comic strips.
Ziraldo’s most famous work is the book O Menino Maluquinho, released in 1980. The book’s success was so great that it later gave rise to a series and a movie. The book O Menino Maluquinho sold over 4 million copies and was published in more than 10 countries. Certainly, Ziraldo is among the top names that come to Brazilians’ minds when asked about iconic children’s literature authors.
Monteiro Lobato (1882–1948)
Another name that always comes to mind for Brazilians when it comes to children’s literature and successful books is Monteiro Lobato. He was born in Taubaté, São Paulo, in 1882 and passed away in 1948. Monteiro Lobato is one of the classic authors of Brazilian literature, having written a series of successful books and fables. In total, he wrote 26 children’s books, including A Menina do Narizinho Arrebitado (1920), O Saci (1921), and Reinações de Narizinho (1931).
One of Monteiro Lobato’s strengths is creating stories that actively contribute to the education and development of students and children in general. A strong sense of morality and principle was a key theme in his writings.
One of Monteiro Lobato’s most famous book series is Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, which later became a television series with the same name, with over a thousand episodes.
Ana Maria Machado (1941–present)
Ana Maria Machado is a Brazilian writer, journalist, and professor, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1941. She is known as one of the leading names in Brazilian children’s literature and was the first woman to preside over the Brazilian Academy of Letters.
Among Ana Maria’s famous works are Tudo ao Mesmo Tempo Agora (2001), which tells the story of a poor boy and addresses issues of justice and solidarity, and Amigo é Comigo (2009), which talks about friendship.
Another highly successful creation by Ana Maria Machado, which is certainly remembered by many Brazilians who read it as children, is Bisa Bia, Bisa Bel (1981), which tells the story of a girl who finds a photograph of her grandmother, whom she never met. From then on, the girl forms a very special bond with her grandmother’s figure.
Ruth Rocha (1931–present)
Ruth Rocha was born in São Paulo in 1931 and is known throughout Brazil for her significant contribution to the country’s children’s literature. Today, she is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and has a rich list of books written throughout her career.
Ruth Rocha’s most popular work is Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo (1976), which tells the stories of children living in urban spaces who solve life’s challenges and dilemmas with great creativity and cleverness. Behind each transformation recounted in the book, there is a small lesson for readers.
Among her most celebrated works are:
- O Reizinho Mandão (1973)
- O Menino que Aprendeu a Ver (1986)
- Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo (1976)
- A Arca de Noé (1970)
- O Dono da Bola (1985)
Maurício de Sousa (1935–present)
It’s impossible to discuss children’s books without mentioning Maurício de Sousa. Considered a genius of Brazilian literature, he was born in 1935 in São Paulo and became a famous cartoonist and entrepreneur. He created the characters of Turma da Mônica, a series of comic strips that was launched in 1959 as newspaper strips and later, in 1976, as comic books.
The Turma da Mônica comic books, with characters like Mônica, Magali, Cascão, Cebolinha, Bidu, and Franjinha, were found in many Brazilian homes with children, being read and loved by adults as well. The series gave rise to movies, also starring children.
Mário Quintana (1906–1994)
In addition to being a translator and journalist, Mário Quintana was also a famous Brazilian poet, who wrote poems in children’s books that became part of Brazil’s literature. He was born in Rio Grande do Sul in 1906 and passed away in 1994. During his career, Mário Quintana wrote popular works such as Nariz de Vidro and Lili Inventa o Mundo, with poems known for their delicacy, imagination, and sensitivity.
Mário Quintana’s books continue to have a significant presence in Brazilian school libraries to this day, and they can now be easily accessed on a variety of online reading platforms.
Brazilian children’s literature is rich and full of prestigious names, such as those mentioned in this content. In addition to these, there are several other famous authors, such as Pedro Bandeira, who wrote the iconic book O Fantástico Mistério de Feiurinha; Edmilson de Almeida Pereira, author of the book O Primeiro Menino; Flávia Muniz, who wrote Rita, Não Grita and Caixa Maluca; and Lygia Bojunga, author of the book Bolsa Amarela, which tells the story of a girl who does not want to grow up.
These and other names can be found in schools and are part of the knowledge that teachers impart to children on a daily basis. There are countless authors who have contributed and still contribute to its creation and maintenance. For those studying early childhood education in Brazil, these names are even more valuable, as they have marked generations and were responsible for part of the richness that Brazilian children’s literature still has today.
For individuals working towards a degree, there are numerous obstacles to overcome. These range from long-term challenges such as exploring potential career options to more immediate ones like selecting a topic for the final thesis.
This concern can be present in students of all fields. For example, Brazilian biomedical scientist Brunno Câmara, who specializes in hematology and hemotherapy and runs a blog about biomedicine, mentions that he understands the difficulties faced by biomedicine students when working on their final paper: Segundo Brunno, em uma publicação do seu blog atualizada em 2023, definir temas no meio acadêmico para escrever um TCC de biomedicina e entrar no mercado de trabalho pode ser desafiador, e ele mesmo chegou a mudar seu tema três vezes.
The challenges of undergraduate students go far beyond choosing the theme for the TCC or knowing how the TCC is done. They also involve deeply understanding the field of study and the authors and characters who are references in it.
If choosing a thesis topic there are great examples in this article.
