On February 28th, the Isidro Alves auditorium at the Portuguese Catholic University in Braga hosted the launch ceremony for the children's book "Histórias de Nonô", with texts by Luís Silva Pereira and illustrations by Sílvia Mota Lopes.
Published by Editorial Novembro, this 76-page volume tells the adventures of Nonô, a little girl who, through her play, discovers the nuances of life by interacting with her parents, grandparents, friends, schoolmates, animals and the natural world. Through play and the free expansion of her imagination into the marvelous, where the laws of nature are suspended, Nonô allows herself to dream of all the possibilities.
This event, organized by teachers Luísa Magalhães and Cândido Oliveira Martins, with the participation of teacher Fernando Azevedo, representing the Braga Local Reading Plan, featured an opening performance by the Allegro Academy, which brought the magic of music and staging to this moment.
During the presentation, a child asked: "Who is Nonô?" Luís Silva Pereira replied that initially she was his granddaughter, called Leonor, affectionately nicknamed Nonô by her family. However, he explained that Nonô represents all the children he has observed throughout his life.
When asked about the moment he started writing, the author revealed that it was while waiting for his granddaughters. He also mentioned that part of his stories are based on real events, but that he then allows his imagination to flow. Quoting Sebastião da Gama, he added: "it is by dreaming that we sail".
Luís Silva Pereira, who was born in Peso da Régua and has a doctorate in Portuguese Literature from the Braga Faculty of Philosophy of the Portuguese Catholic University, is known not only for his academic work, but also for his involvement in the local press, having been the first secular director of the Diário do Minho newspaper and recently taking over the direction of the Bracara Augusta magazine, published by Braga City Council.
Before the presentation of the book, José Manuel Lopes, Fernando Azevedo and José Cândido Martins praised the professor, highlighting him as an inspiring model for the academic community, whose wisdom continues to be sought after by the university.