Janet Balletta

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“La leyenda de la Sirena Colombiana”01

Librería Barco de Papel presentó el pasado Julio 19, a la educadora Janet Balletta quien presentó su libro en inglés dedicado especialmente a los niños y a sus padres, «The Leyend of the Colombian Mermaid», una recreación de un mito colombiano.

El libro que traduce «La leyenda de la Sirena Colombiana» explica un mito que pocos conocen de la cultura colombiana. Cuando Balletta era una niña, le fue contada esta historia del mito de la sirena, y ella nunca la olvidó. Ahora, ella deja consignada esta historia para el deleite de futuras generaciones

La leyenda comienza en la tropical ciudad de Valledupar, Colombia, cuando una niña se fue a nadar al río un Viernes Santo en contra de la voluntad de sus padres y como consecuencia de su desobediencia y desacato a la fiesta religiosa, se convirtió en sirena.

Janet retoma la leyenda y la continúa con la historia de Tomás  y Judith, dos pequeños hermanos que viven en Valledupar y su encuentro con la sirena así como las aventuras de Judith para salvar a Tomas de las garras de la sirena.

Este libro con sus coloridos personajes y encantadoras ilustraciones de Estella Mejía, promete cautivar a niños y padres por igual.  Con una amplia experiencia como educadora, Balletta está comprometida con ayudar a niños  a entender y apreciar su cultura y otras culturas, para enseñar tolerancia y aceptación.

EL libro es publicado por WRB Publishing en inglés. Más información en el website sobre el libro

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Sobre el autor:

Janet Balletta nació en Brooklyn y creció en Queens en el seno de una familia de raíces puertorriqueñas y colombianas.  Se mudó a Palm Beach, Florida en 1993 y trabajo en el campo de la educación. Actualmente reside en Port St. Lucie en Florida y se desempeña como maestra bilingüe de primer grado.

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The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid (English)

Written by Janet Balletta, ‘The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid’ is a creative and magical new children’s book that explores a little-known myth in the Colombian culture. As a child, Balletta was told the tale of the mermaid, and she never forgot it. Now, she brings the story back to life for the next generation of young readers.

The legend begins in Valledupar, Colombia, when a little girl went swimming against her parent’s wishes, and as a consequence, was turned into a mermaid.

The story continues the book by Janet Balletta,telling the tale of a young brother and sister named Tomas and Judith who live in Valledupar, the story details their encounter with the greedy mermaid, and Judith’s quest to save her brother from the clutches of ‘La Sirena’. Including a colorful cast of characters and enchanting illustrations by Estella Mejía, this book will captive children and parents alike.

“The legend of the Colombian Mermaid was my favorite bedtime story and I never got tired of hearing my mother tell it,” says Balletta. “Of course, what I now realize is that not only is the tale entertaining, but it also teaches a good lesson on family values, faith, inspiration, and obedience.”

Synopsis:

The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid is based on the legend of La Sirena De Hurtado, in Valledupar, Colombia. It dates back to 1917 and tells the story of a young girl who defied her parents and went swimming in the river on Good Friday. According to the legend the girl turned into a mermaid because she was cursed for her disobedience and non-observance of Good Friday a traditional Catholic holiday.

About the Author

Janet Balletta is a bilingual first grade teacher who lives in Florida. She is from New York City the great melting pot. Janet has two daughters who also love mermaids and inspired her to write this story. For fun, Janet likes to read, write, garden, and spend time with her family. She hopes this story will help children grow an interest and appreciation for multicultural literature.

With years of experience in working with children, Balletta is committed to education and to helping kids understand and navigate other cultures. “As an educator I am passionate about multicultural literature and I hope my story inspires children to grow an interest and appreciation for multicultural literature,” says Balletta.

“Books like this can be useful for teachers to bridge the gap between cultures and teach tolerance and acceptance. I think it’s important for children to learn about other cultures and traditions as well as the American culture. Hopefully, my book will spark an interest in young readers to learn more about children from other countries.”

 

 

 

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