Chaves | Presentation of the book ‘Chaves, and two thousand years later?’

The local authority is launching the children’s book ‘Chaves, e dois mil anos depois?’ (Chaves, and two thousand years later?), an educational edition that aims to show a little about the local ancestors. The presentation session will take place at the Museum of the Roman Baths of Chaves on Friday 13th at 6.00 pm.

Written by Márcia Santos and illustrated by Tó Ribeiro, this children’s book tells the story of Alice and her grandfather, discovering our ancestors through archaeological finds, from ‘whom we inherited the script of our history’ and which ‘perpetuate our cultural identity’.

Alluding to the theme ‘Chaves – 2000 years of history to tell’, this book aims to reinforce and disseminate the concept and the new graphic image of the municipality, while at the same time encouraging a taste for reading and fostering knowledge of the municipality’s history among pre-school and primary school pupils.

A writer in her ‘spare time’, Márcia Santos readily accepted the challenge of creating this, her second children’s story. In this work, the author takes a creative journey into the past to showcase the local cultural heritage. ‘Flavians of all times! They didn’t know, and couldn’t have known, that they would forever be known and recognised as the builders of art, culture, science, architecture and engineering, of the city of Chaves, our city!’ the story reads. His first children’s book was published two years ago under the title ‘I have a friend under the bed!’.

For the illustrator, Tó Ribeiro, it was a ‘great honour to illustrate a book that shows our children (and others!) such important pieces of our rich history and how they gave rise to the new graphic image of Chaves. It was very fun and challenging to create the drawing of Grandpa João and Alice, based on such a rich narrative.’