Ludicity with literature for children: playing in the construction of racial identity

Abstract

This article discusses the experiences of children in a public school in Curitiba, Paraná, in the first year of elementary school, and their impressions when they come into contact with reading and are introduced to children's books about African and Afro-Brazilian culture, authored by Black people, both in text and illustrations. The conclusions are the result of a qualitative action research study. The data were generated through field notes, filming, and photographs, and the reflection was guided by the methodology organized by the ErêYá/UFPR study group, entitled Critical Analysis of Narratives and Attribution of Meaning (CANAM). One category that emerged from the data was Play, in which we found that reading and illustrations influence children's interactions in oral and bodily languages, bringing Black characters into their playful and socialization experiences. This movement constitutes a rupture in the raciality device, as it includes Black people in the children's imagination among those who can and do produce knowledge.