The primary purpose of Librería Barco de Papel was to introduce unique and cultural Spanish books to children. The co-owner, Paula Ortiz, believes that nowadays, children have a disconnection with their language. The youth, being too adapted to technology, are starting to believe that books are no longer valuable. Paula believes that reading books is necessary in order for the brain to develop and fears that children will stop reading completely. One of her goals is to encourage the children’s families, who came generations ago, to build a relationship with their language and culture. Paula and Ramón provide children with a safe space to lay down and absorb their culture. The children and adults that come into the store are genuinely interested and passionate about the books the store has to offer. The parents love it when their children read Spanish books and learn about Hispanic culture. According to Paula, “a book is a way to heal people’s souls someway, somehow.”
Paula loves writers who write children’s books and found herself reading plenty of unique books. She cannot single out who her favorite author is, but she certainly has favorite books. One of her favorite books is Pindalu and Esta Luna by Janell Canon. Paula, being a Biology teacher, loves the way that Canon introduces the animals in the book. Canon narrates the story of an animal, which allows children to understand the behavior of the animals. She shows the different adaptations that humans and animals possess. Another one of her favorites is El Elefante Encadenado by Jorge Bucay. The book is about an elephant who did not take action to escape from the circus. The message of this story is to show how everybody finds their own path in this world.
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Overall, the bookstore gives children the opportunity to learn about where they come from. The bookstore, over the years, has expanded to adult books, while still having an immense emphasis on children’s books. The messages and morals that the children’s books proclaim allows children to gain an open-minded and valuable perspective on the world around them,
