Plaza Familia Online Book Club | October Books {Week 1}

Welcome to the Plaza Familia Online Book Club! Although I still can’t believe it’s October, I’m here to talk about the two books we’ve chosen for this month. The first of them is ‘The Young Goat’s Party’ by renowned Mario Vargas Llosa, and the second is ‘The Ugly Duckling’ by Hans Christian Andersen.

In the first pages of ‘The Young Goat’s Party’ we meet Urania Cabral, who, after 35 years of absence, returns to her country and native town. She left for the United States by the time she was 14. Although she swore to return, there she is walking the streets and reliving memories , some of her father with whom she’s lost contact with since she left.

The novel takes place geographically in the Dominican Republic and the political aspect is present from the beginning, but it could not be any other way, since Latin-American lives are transformed and molded according to the current government.

October is dedicated not only to breast cancer and Down Syndrome awareness, but also to harrassment or Bullying, which is why I consider “The Ugly Duckling” the perfect book to read with our children during this month. It can help teach them to love themselves, respect differences, and learn to give more importance to inner beauty.

Raising children is no easy task, but it’s up to us to give them the necessary tools so they can be happy and value themselves as unique human beings with a place and a purpose in this world.

Remember that we have an appointment next week to keep on discussing these two wonderful works which will keep us entertained.

Read you later!

Creative commons-licensed photo provided by Horia Varlan.