A CERTAIN BLUE BOY

THE POEM, THE ILLUSTRATIONS, THE CLASSROOM

Abstract

There are several ways to work with poems in the school environment. In the context of basic education, numerous studies agree that an approach that favors dialogue between text and reader can promote the most significant discoveries. When the poem is presented in the format of a picturebook, there must also be a careful look at the images, seeking to observe their intertwining with the written text and how the two languages ​​work together to construct the meaning of the work. This multimodal approach enriches the reading experience, stimulating visual perception and the ability to integrate different forms of artistic expression. In this article, we present a reading of the poem “O Menino Azul”, by Cecília Meireles, exploring its literary and visual nuances. Furthermore, we propose ways to approach the work in the classroom, engaging students in a creative and reflective way. We are based on the reading strategy referred to as “connection” (Girotto; Souza, 2010). In working with a dramatic game based on the poem, proposed by Pinheiro (2018). To address the different image-text relationships present in the work, we draw on research by Azevedo (1991), Camargo (1991) and Nikolajeva and Scott (2011).