Reading promotion activities in school and non-school settings: practices developed by children’s literature authors

Abstract

This study analyzes reading promotion activities carried out in school and non-school settings by children’s literature authors Carlos Kalunga Neves and Léia Cassol. The research aimed to understand their trajectories, ways of engaging with children, and strategies of literary mediation. A qualitative methodology was adopted, including semi-structured interviews conducted remotely, as well as content analysis of the authors’ social media profiles and websites. The theoretical framework was based on authors in the fields of education and children’s literature, such as Belmiro and Galvão (2016), Cosson (2006), Colomer (2016), and Failla (2016), who discuss literary literacy, mediation, and inequalities in access to reading. The results indicated that both authors operate mainly in schools and book fairs, using storytelling and digital productions as promotion strategies. However, their actions predominantly reach children from socioeconomically privileged backgrounds, highlighting limitations in democratizing access to children’s literature. It is concluded that the presence of mediators is essential to foster interest in reading and that public policies are needed to expand the reach of these practices in public schools and community spaces, promoting diverse and socially inclusive literary experiences.