The Brazilian author and illustrator Daniel Condo has introduced his latest work, ‘Eletricista’, co-written with Augusto Massi, at the Fólio festival in Óbidos. Condo describes it as providing attendees with a “revolutionary literary experience, designed to make reading truly accessible to everyone.”
The book, published in a conventional format, is paired with a digital code granting access to an interactive platform. This platform offers a full translation of the book into sign language, complete audio narration, and even a three-dimensional journey through the narrative—an immersive virtual reality experience that allows readers to “enter” the story using 3D glasses.
“It’s an innovation taking place in Brazil, and we saw fit to bring it to a festival themed ‘Fronteiras’, showcasing that the boundaries of reading can be transcended, attracting more readers who find enjoyment alongside the book,” Condo stated.
The technology is being developed by the Brazilian publisher ELO. They currently have “more than twenty titles in this format” and aim to “expand this to around 300 books, primarily for children,” explained Marcos Araújo, the publisher’s administrator.
“The technology serves as a tool, not just to make books more inclusive but also to attract new readers. Initially, they might not be drawn to reading, but this method encourages engagement with the book itself, allowing them to explore other titles available at their fingertips, leading to increased reading,” Araújo added.
In Brazil, where these books are being distributed in educational centers, “it was observed that children on the autism spectrum were the ones most responsive to this technology. Among these children, those wearing glasses particularly engaged by exploring all books available in the application’s library,” he said.
Author and editor are considering the possibility of “bringing this technology to Portugal” and including “books by Portuguese authors” in the collection, according to Daniel Kondo, who has books published in Portugal by Alfarroba and has received several awards, including the Jabuti for Best Children’s Book (2022), Unesco Chair of Reading Prize, João-de-Barros Prize, and the National Foundation for Children’s and Youth Literature Prize.
The focus on inclusive reading will be highlighted at the International Inclusion Seminar, part of the Fólio program, during which the work “Among symbols, sounds, textures, and images: A guide for multi-format children’s books” will be presented, alongside other initiatives aimed at making reading more inclusive.
The Fólio, ongoing in Óbidos until the 19th, includes three Nobel Prize in Literature winners: Belarusian writer Svetlana Aleksiévitch, South African J. M. Coetzee, and Hungarian László Krasznahorkai. The event features over 460 initiatives, including more than a hundred author-public discussions, 15 author panels, informal gatherings, seminars, book launches, concerts, and award ceremonies.
Organized by the Óbidos municipality, in collaboration with the municipal company Óbidos Criativa, Ler Devagar, and the Inatel Foundation, the Fólio has been an annual event since 2015 in the village recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City of Literature.
