I Was Supposed to Be at School : Written by the children of Maré
The children living in Maré, an area of low-income neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, wrote letters to their government showing what happens to them during the violent police raids that are part of their everyday life. Their words and pictures tell stories of sadness, fear, joy, and anger. They are also a call to uphold the right of every child to live without violence.
Praise & Recognition
"Children in Maré, a slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, want to play, learn, get ahead in life. In I Was Supposed To Be At School...they write — in collaboration with Ananda Luz and Isabel Malzonito — the government about how police violence permeates their lives. A constant state of fear causes parents to miss work and kids to miss school, keeping them in poverty.... The book is aimed at children aged 6-8, but its poignant, sophisticated content can also be used to educate children aged 8 and up about the state of the world."
Winnipeg Free PressDetails
Publication Date: September 2, 2025
Reading Age: 6 - 8
Genre: Picture Book
Product Format: Hardback
Pages: 32
ISBN: 978-1-77260-432-0
Weight: 200
About the Translator
Patrick Anthony Barbosa Brock
Patrick Brock, PhD, is a researcher, writer, and translator currently based in Brazil. Patrick has been translating technical, academic, and literary texts since 2002, having worked for The Wall Street Journal, Valor Econômico, JOTA, Editora Terceiro Nome, and the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art, among others.
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