A mother and daughter share a meal and a book in Porto Alegre

Luciano Mendes de Faria Filho observed a mother and child sharing a meal and a book at a small restaurant in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The author, a pedagogue and professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), describes his journey through the city's cultural landmarks, including the Brique da Redenção and the Porto Alegre Book Fair at Praça da Alfândega. During his visit, Mendes de Faria Filho explored the local markets and interacted with artists like Cristian Massa.

He noted how these spaces preserve history through books and objects. He also purchased a volume about Rio Grande do Sul from a collection by Editora Globo, reflecting on his own history of collecting books since his childhood in Contagem. The narrative culminates in a moment at a local eatery where a woman and a young girl, under the age of 10, sat together. While they shared a common plate of food, the child focused intensely on a colorful book.

The author describes how the child paused her reading to eat, only to worry about getting her fingers dirty before returning to the story. This scene served as a reminder to the author that for some people, literature provides a sense of connection and joy that transcends physical needs like food.