Marcio Veloz Maggiolo Speaks With Young BIJRD Readers

Marcio Veloz Maggiolo Speaks With Young BIJRD Readers
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, September 6, 2012

The roundtable discussion was about the children’s book “La iguanitaazul (The blue iguana)”, by MarcioVeloz Maggiolo, which was read by the children’s book club “El ave y el nido (The bird and the nest)” at the Biblioteca Infantil y Juvenil República Dominicana (Children and Youth Library of the Dominican Republic).

The objective of his visit was to meet with the members of the “El ave y el nido” book club, who are children between the ages of 7 and 12 who participate in activities to promote reading at the La biblio de los niños (The children’s library) room at the BIJRD.

The Children and Youth Library of the Dominican Republic (BIJRD for its acronym in Spanish) put on its finestto receiveDominican writer, anthropologist and archaeologist Marcio Veloz Maggiolo.

The objective of his visit was to meet with the members of the “El ave y el nido” book club, who are children between the ages of 7 and 12 who participate in activities to promote reading at the La biblio de los niños (The children’s library) room at the BIJRD.

At the beginning of the get togetheryoung readers Paris Zecherell and Elda Saveyread the writer’s biography and introduced the event.

During the get together, VelozMaggiolo spoke with the youngsters about his childhood and the time when he started writing, of his vocation, and his family, among other important aspects of his life.

“The reasons that led me to devote myself to writingwere mycommitment and the desire to keep alive the imagination,” the prolific author confessed to his young listeners, whom he motivated to continue reading.

The book club memberswho already knew the story of the writer’s latest children’s book, asked Don Marciosome questions and told him what they liked best about the book.

In the book La iguanitaazul, the writer tells the story of a boy from a rural area in??southern Dominican Republicwho was upset for not receiving any birthday presents and so he decides to go find an iguana, of those he had been seen near where he lived,in order to earn some money. But along the way he meets a strange old man and his plans change completely.

About the Author

MarcioVelozMaggiolo was born on August 13, 1936 in Santo Domingo. He is a Dominican writer, archaeologist and anthropologist. A prolific author, both of academic and literary subjects, his books have been translated into German, English, Italian and French.

He earned a Bachelor of Philosophy and Literature from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. In 1970 he received a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Madrid. He also studied journalism in Ecuador.

He has served as Director of the Department of Anthropology and History at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Assistant Secretary of State for Culture, Director of Research at the Museodel Hombre Dominicano (Museum of the Dominican Man) in Santo Domingo, and of the Museo de las Casas Reales. He has also served as Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Mexico, Peru and Rome.

He has received several awards, including the National Poetry Award in 1961 and the National Award for Best Novelin 1962, 1981 and 1992. Also, in 1981, he received the National Awardfor Short Story.