The Tales of Helenita

About the Book

The Tales of Helenita is a vivid account of the author's experience growing up in a society plagued by contradictions and social injustices, as seen through the eyes of an eight-years old girl. Her little world, in which magic and reality are difficult to set apart, is in fact a microcosm of what became one of the most complex countries in Latin America today–Colombia.

Helenita struggles to understand why other kids must face poverty, ignorance and violence. It is not a coincidence they are the descendents of slaves, brought by the Spanish during colonial times, who now find themselves in a seemingly endless cycle of poverty and desperation. Yet, her tales are also of hope, human endurance, triumph, and in the end there is a lesson to be learned.

About the Author

Born in Cartagena, Colombia, has written extensively in Spanish. For newspapers and magazines. She worked as a columnist for a Local newspaper. In 1993 she published the novel, Los juegos del Destino. The Tales of Helenita is her first non-fiction book published in English.