Η ΑΓΚΑΛΙΑ ΠΟΥ ΨΗΛΩΝΕ / THE HUG THAT GROWS
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Autor:
MARIOS MAZARIS
Country:
Greece (GR)
Book Theme:
The new writers under 40
Publisher:
PAPADOPOULOS
Publishing Year:
2022
My name is Ioannis-Marios Mazaris. I rarely mention John, because sometimes you choose a single name to represent you. I was born in Piraeus and I grew up there until today. How old I am doesn’t matter, because I don’t remember growing up much since I was a child. Once I wanted to be an astronaut, eventually Marios became a teacher. I’ve been working in elementary schools for as many years as I can forget that I’m working and say that I live part of my life in classrooms. I love stories and not fairy tales. Because stories are truths of people around me and I love truths more than fairy tales. One truth is that John became an astronaut and explores new planets, while I, Marios, am among the children and explore new worlds. Welcome to my discoveries.
National Award for Children’s and Young People’s
Abstract
“The hug that grows” is talking about Alice, a little girl much shorter than the children of her age, who, as often happens with any child who differs in something from the rest, is targeted by some of her classmates from another class who make fun of her. It is something that upsets her, while at the same time she is concerned with another mystery: that of the paper gold stars she finds on her desk every day.
On the occasion of these stars, one afternoon she comes home from school and talks to her grandmother in general about the stars and the moon. Alice confesses to her grandmother that sometimes she feels like the moon, not because she is alone, but because no one can help her grow taller. How she wishes she was like her eponymous heroine in Wonderland, who changed her size depending on what she ate and drank! But the grandmother is there to reassure her, telling her tenderly that “some children are born and remain like this, small in size, so that we can always take them easily in our arms”. A grandmother can sometimes make things easier to put into a sweet perspective…
As the conversation turns again to the stars that Alice finds on her desk every day, the grandmother decides to go to school in her granddaughter’s place to solve the mystery. And it really does. When he gets home, he says to Alice: “I saw which children are making fun of you, they must be the same ones that made fun of me”. “And what did you say to them?”, Alice asks, angry that those children even made fun of her grandmother. “Nothing!”, replies the grandmother wisely, “you don’t always have to say something to those who make fun of you.” An excellent tip, which we all do well to apply.
When Alice returns to school again the next day, her classmates run to hug her, shouting “we missed you” and showering her with gold stars! “And it was as if she ate or drank that magical ingredient of Alice and grew taller, she felt herself growing taller and reaching up to the stars and their embrace was so magical that she grew taller with her.” It is the acceptance and love of others and their embrace that makes us get points!
This wonderful, warm book is a story of empathy that really deserves to be read “in a classroom, in a house, in a forest or even in front of a mirror”, as it says on the back cover. Its author, Marios Mazaris, known on social media (from where he gives ideas to parents and teachers) as @Schoolmarius, a teacher by profession, states in his biography that he loves stories and not fairy tales, because stories contain the truths of people. So he gave us this true story of an old student of his, which the illustrator Artemis Provou brought out with tenderness and love. It’s a story that somehow haunted him and he decided to tell it to help other children.
It is obvious that this particular story does not only touch upon issues of diversity and self-esteem, but also speaks of the warmth of friendship, as well as the precious tenderness of a grandmother and grandfather towards their grandchildren. Ultimately, the acceptance and embrace of others, their humanity and concern are the compasses that show us our place in life and in the world…
Stories that are truly inspiring and contain goodness, that warm the heart and make us see the world differently must definitely be spread. A good story is a wonderful thing, but a good story of generosity and love, in this day and age is simply priceless.
