Alfaguara

Alfaguara Infantil Publishes New Children’s Book: Margarita and the Cloud

The children’s book, Margarita and the Cloud, will soon be on the shelves. This coming Wednesday, December 5th , a book launching will be held at the Quinta Dominica in the Colonial Zone at 6:30 p.m.  Writer Leopoldo Minaya will preside over the event with an introduction to the book. Lorena Oliva’s theater group will offer a theatrical recitation of Margarita’s adventures with the cloud.  This activity is opened to the whole family and the general public.

The idea was born with the illustrator Verouschka Freixas who did all the drawings for the book. Later, poet León David wrote the verses that comprise the story which is being published under the Alfaguara Infantil label of the Santillana Group.

The story is about Margarita who lives in Puerto Plata. Margarita likes to climb up on to her rooftop and contemplate the cloud formations. One day she is frightened when a cloud invites her to climb onto its back and fly away to any place she chooses. Margarita doesn’t think twice. She jumps onto the cloud and they take off on a flight where she sees the mountains and valleys, the flowers, the market, the carnival and even the whales in the ocean. For a while, she is accompanied by her friend Rosa.

With its exquisite and detailed drawings and superb verse, Margarita and the Cloud captures the splendor of the fauna, flora and traditions of our county. Indeed, the end of the book includes an illustrated glossary of the various animal, plant and flower species as well as an explanations of our customs in order to refresh and reinforce them for the sake of the children who read it.  The 48-page book is printed on satin paper with a full range of colorful drawings. It is available for 185 pesos.

Margarita and the Cloud, the latest work published by Alfaguara Infantil, is in addition to growing catalog of Dominican books which include The Intrepid Car by Margarita Luciano; The Bouncing Table by Xiomarita Pérez; Crazy Horse and Other Stories, Anthology of the XIX and XX Centuries; The Volcanos of Manflota by Reynaldo Disla; The Dog Who Wanted to Be a Cat by María Consuelo Brugal; A Gift  of Grace: The Legend of Altagracia by Julia Álvarez, and Rebeca at Bat and Two More Stories by Dinorah Coronado.  

About the Authors 

León David is a prolific writer with more than twenty books of poetry and essays published. He also writes an art criticism column in the daily newspaper Hoy. He is a professor of Fine Arts at the UASD and the PUCMM. He has received various literary awards and is a member of the Dominican Academy of Language.

Verouschka Freixas is a Dominican illustrator, painter and set designer. She has exhibited her work in Germany, England, Puerto Rico, Switzerland and Brazil.  Ms. Freixas has her own art studio where she offers drawing and painting workshops to children and young people.