The girl and the beggar

Renowned in the South, where he has sold over 300,000 books, and critically acclaimed, with three Jabuti awards under his belt, Charles Kiefer, from Rio Grande do Sul, returns to children's literature after the success of *Revolta das coisas*. For those who follow the writer's career, his connection with younger audiences is nothing new: *Você viu meu pai por aí?*, a youth novel bearing the mark of the writer's talent, earned him the coveted Highly Recommended seal from the National Foundation for Children's and Young Adult Books. In *A menina e o beggar*, Kiefer tells a delicate story about solidarity and integration. With the help of Marília Bruno's beautiful writing, which lends texture and color to this contemporary fable, he introduces us to Carolina. It is through her adult voice that we enter her world as a girl and become privileged spectators of one of her childhood adventures. Recorded in the diary that, beyond her obsession, would later lead her to become a writer. And "tell" us her story. It was a Saturday afternoon when the girl, as usual, went out to buy bread and milk at the neighborhood grocery store. And as often happened, she passed the beggar who lived nearby. Carolina didn't understand why he couldn't take shelter under the buildings' awnings when it rained, something the doormen never stopped her and her mother from doing. But she admitted to being a little afraid of the man, until her father explained that he was just a turtle-man, carrying all his belongings on his back. This mute homeless man was the only one who helped Carolina take a lost boy home. It was he who, through notes, communicated with the girl and told her he knew where the tearful Digão lived. But instead of recognition, the beggar was met with distrust and rudeness by the boy's father. With subtlety, Kiefer shows us the social ills of the country and how prejudices are built on examples and misguided attitudes.