Irene Vasco 
Letters in Charcoal 

In the pueblo of Palenque in Colombia, hardly anybody knows how to read. Curious about the letters her older sister Gina receives from a young doctor each month — letters that she is sure contain promises of love — one young girl makes a decision that will change her life, and the lives of every child in the pueblo, forever.

With the help of Señor Velandia, the owner of the village shop, she will slowly unlock the letters of the alphabet and discover the magic of reading. And soon she will make a discovery that is more miraculous still — that letters are literally all around her . . .

Circa l’autore

Irene Vasco is an award-winning Colombian author. She has devoted much of her life to training readers in remote regions of Colombia, and in 2021, was recognised by the Colombian Ministry of Education for a lifetime of work devoted to education.