Jorge Eslava: “childhood is so far away and at the same time so close to old age”

While remembering some passages of his life, Jorge Eslava he drops a phrase that sums up the happy stage he is going through: “childhood is so far away and at the same time so close to old age.” Became a grandfather five years ago, the educator feels that since he has grandchildren his writing has taken on a new impulse.

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These days his prolific literary production adds five new children’s stories that reflect his experiences as ‘papapa’. Presented by different publishing labels during the twenty-fourth edition of the International Book Fair (FIL Lima), “The monster from above” and “The grandfather’s laboratory” reach young readers through Panamericana; “The park” and “The window” published by SM; and “A bench in the park” under the Peisa label.

FROM REALITY TO FICTION

Before writing her first children’s book, Eslava had devoted herself entirely to poetry. Already as a teacher of the Red Kings, at the beginning of the eighties, he rehearsed some poems for boys that later became the song book “Wooden horse and other songs”. “That was my first link with the creation of children’s literature. Years later the Santillana publishing house asked me for a story and coincidentally had written” The girl in the shade of colors “, born of the relationship with my daughter,” he recalls.

Since then, dozens of stories have come to light that show the parent-child connection. Today, the theme that gives life to these funny stories is nurtured by the close bond that it means to see grandchildren grow up. “For several years I have been writing about the bond of grandfather with grandchildren, of grandmother with grandchildren and, in turn, of grandparents between Yes. The books that I am going to present are part of these new collections “, comments the writer.” The window “and” The Park “, according to Eslava’s thoughts, actually make up the first book of three in duplexes. In total, they would be six stories.

In the case of “The monster above” and “Grandfather’s laboratory”, these are part of a trilogy that will soon be completed with “Grandmother’s garden”. “A bench in the park” is, chronologically speaking, the beginning of the collection, as it narrates the initial romance of the grandparents. Regarding this last story, the author specifies that “what I have tried to tell, fabled of course, is how the grandparents know each other. In the story they become young people who meet in a park, into lovers, then into parents and end up in that same park running around and snitching with the grandchildren. “

SUPER GRANDPA

At 64, Eslava says she can start talking about old age without fear, calmly and with a certain playful attitude. “I would not like to become a curmudgeonly old man, I like the image of the extravagant old man”, he comments and later narrates an anecdote that paints his whole-body attitude towards the passage of time: “during a celebration of neighbors it occurred to me to go disguised as Pirate. I walked from my house to the park, about three blocks. When I arrived the children made a party when they saw me with a scarf tied to my head, sword and spyglass in hand. Those who were ashamed were the adults. That image of a picturesque old man I enjoy”. The anecdote, like many others, has become a story. To remember him and “keep making fun of my brothers,” he says amused.

THE DATA:

Today “The window” and “The Park” will be presented in the Laura Riesco auditorium, at 3 pm “The monster from above” and “The grandfather’s laboratory”, at the FIL Theater, at 5 pm On Sunday 21 July will be the turn of “A bench in the park”, at the FIL Theater, 5 pm