Marcelo, Martello, Marshmallow
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Ruth Rocha and Ana Matsusaki
Translated from the Portuguese by Tal Goldfajn
Marcelo is a curious and inventive boy who has a lot of questions, especially about words and their meanings. His parents provide him with an assortment of explanations, but as Marcelo ventures to further discover these answers, he decides to create his own vocabulary. His family strives to embrace his new, unique language, but confusion soon unfolds, in a particularly unexpected way.
Marcelo, Martello, Marshmallow is a playful reflection about language and its origins. This heartwarming tale poses as a celebration of young creative thinkers, like Marcelo, making sense of the world we live in.
This story, originally published in Brazil in 1976 and titled Marcelo, Martelo, Marmelo, is the cornerstone work by acclaimed children's book author Ruth Rocha. Ana Matsusaki's imaginative illustrations immerse readers in the creative mind of Marcelo in the first English edition of this beloved Brazilian children's book.
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ISBN: 978-1-7347839-9-5
8.5” (W) x 11” (H) • 40 pages • Hardcover
$19.95
REVIEWS
★"This first English-language edition, featuring punchy dialogue and lighthearted wordplay, demonstrates why Rocha is one of Brazil’s most popular children’s authors. New illustrations by Ana Matsusaki add to the contemporary feel: These innovative collage compositions — interweaving cut-out textures, photos and typography — are full of vitality."—The New York Times
★“The story was originally written in Portuguese, and this version is a real tour de force for translator Goldfajn. Not only is the narrative peppered with original coinages that make sense (of a sort) in English, but it’s also infused with general wordplay … Matsusaki’s illustrations, also new, underscore the episode’s more surreal aspects by incorporating snipped-out fragments of photos into each scene … Fun to read aloud, as well as offering clever encouragement to think outside the linguistic box.”—Kirkus Reviews