Percibald Garcia isn’t an actor or voiceover artist. He’s not a teacher or childcare worker. But since May, the 27-year-old architect has been a popular storyteller among some kids in quarantine.
During the pandemic, weeks of confinement—no friends, no group activities—have been dull and dreary, especially for children.
“Almost nobody was looking after the way that kids were experiencing this lockdown,” Garcia says.
For months now, Garcia has taken his “wandering microphone” into the green spaces between buildings in an enormous Mexico City apartment complex. There he broadcasts stories while children listen.
During His time on Earth, Jesus told stories. He often spoke in parables because He knows that stories can reveal truth, overcome barriers, gather people together—and even change them.
Garcia reads stories like El Tlacuache Lunatico (The Crazy Opossum) by David Martín del Campo. He often plays songs by Mexican children’s composer Francisco Gabilondo Soler. Children pop up at the windows of the multistory buildings for the show. A few venture out with parents to sit on the grass or a bench.
“The public plaza has been extremely important in Mexico since the time of our ancestors,” Garcia notes. “It is where people meet, talk, where the life of a neighborhood develops.” The pandemic hit this aspect of life hard, because people have been encouraged not to go out or gather. He calls his reading project “De la Casa a la Plaza” (“From the house to the plaza”).
Garcia believes his readings help to reclaim those shared spaces—and stem the movement to a digital world. “In the last three months, everything has gone online—work, contacts, shopping,” he says. “This is an act of resistance in the face of this ferocious digitalization.”
Rogelio Morales listens from his grandmother’s window. Since March, the nine-year-old has spent much of his time playing video games. “The only thing I go out for is to walk my dog,” he says. “It’s a little boring.”
But of the storytelling, Rogelio says, “It’s nice. We can relax a little.”
Luna Gonzalez came outside with her mother. They listened to Garcia from a safe distance, both wearing face masks. “I imagine what the animals are like,” says Luna. “I get bored at home.”
Rogelio’s grandmother, Maria Elena Sevilla, also sits at the window. “It is not just children he is entertaining,” she says. “It is people of my age too.”
These days, most of his neighbors have cellphones, tablets, or computers. But Garcia wants them to hear the human voice—and thrill in the world of shared tales.
Or wish that is now dead, or so it seems?
@Riley
Aye
@Bethy
Thanks!
@Caro
Your turn on Monday!
:)
@Bethy, yes!! I love Princess Academy! Have you read the second and third ones too? If you haven't they are really good! @Typwriters, book suggestion! Dragon Slippers (it is a series)
:)
Here is my story! If I had more time I had more plans..
November 6
I am living on a dying planet. The environment is killing people. There is too much nuclear gas floating around in random places. The government is saying we will have to move! I know this planet is horrible, but it is where I grew up! And my son’s grave is here... He was only 10 when he accidentally went into a place where there was nuclear gas.
Later today
The president and head of space exploration has decided we will move to space! I’m crying as I write. So many friends have died here! And I won’t be able to visit their graves anymore.
November 10
I am on the spaceship. We have AI robots offering us drinks and snacks, but I’m not hungry. We are going to a planet where they have made a biome of a small portion of earth.
November 11
I just heard a boy complaining to his mom about cyber glitches that are messing up his game. It made me miss Nate more…
December 20
I’m settled into my new home. Christmas is just around the corner… And the anniversary of Nate’s death. He was exploring on Boxing Day when he died.
December 25
Merry Christmas! My friend Max just dropped off a Christmas present!
@ Caro
Yes, I have! The second book, Palace of Stone, is my favorite of the three. I have also read all the Dragon Slipper books....or, no...only 1 and 3 I think....
@ Caro
Also, great story! Smart of you to use a diary.
this is Kaewyn
I love the Dragon Slippers books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Bethy and Caro
I love Princess Academy! What are the 2nd and 3rd ones called?
@ Belwyn
Second: Palace of Stone
Third: The Forgotten Sisters
All by Shannon Hale.
@Caro
I loved Dragon Slippers! I love all of Jessica Day George’s books, have you read any others she wrote? I think I’ve read everything she’s written
@ Bethy
Thx so much! I didn't know there were sequels to Princess Academy and I really excited to see if our library has them! The cousin I'm writing the Running Deer book for, also likes Princess Academy so I'll tell her there are sequels!
Does your heart ache with uncalled for sorrow?
@Caro, Good story! You should continue it!
@All, Ah! You all are talking about books that sound like so much fun but that I have no way of getting! XD I have a random-ish prayer request, I took 5 dogs running today and had a dogfight turning around. Both dogs are fine, we separated them before they could damage each other, but can you all be praying I'll be able to work with them? Thanks...sorry that was random....
Does your heart ache with uncalled for sorrow?
@Caro, Good story! You should continue it!
@All, Ah! You all are talking about books that sound like so much fun but that I have no way of getting! XD I have a random-ish prayer request, I took 5 dogs running today and had a dogfight turning around. Both dogs are fine, we separated them before they could damage each other, but can you all be praying I'll be able to work with them? Thanks...sorry that was random....
@ Desarose
That's okay, I'll be happy to pray for you and your dogs!
@ Amelia
I read Princess of the Midnight Ball, which I really liked, and tried to get the other two from the library.
Do you fear what shall happen tomorrow?
@Bethy
Thanks a lot!
@Typewriters
So I don't know if anyone else is inspired by music but here's two more that inspire me...don't worry, none are in Hebrew!!
Death Was Arrested by Aaron Shust
Burn the Ships by For King and Country
Do you fear what shall happen tomorrow?
@Bethy
Thanks a lot!
@Typewriters
So I don't know if anyone else is inspired by music but here's two more that inspire me...don't worry, none are in Hebrew!!
Death Was Arrested by Aaron Shust
Burn the Ships by For King and Country
:)
@Amelia, I haven't, but I should!!! My grandma suggested Dragon Slippers to me! @Dessie, ok!
Writing Plunge
I went probably a minute over, since my timer went up, and my mom wanted me off the computer and then once I came back, I didn't set it on, and then I went over 21 seconds....but it was around ten. This doesn't make sense, but...that's my own fault!
Kyra lived in a completely cyber environment. It was like a computer biome. In fact, the entire planet--her world--was this way. She didn’t remember how exactly she had gotten there. Kyra had vague memories of a place with green and blue, instead of black and gray. In these distant memories, there were things which looked like her...things that could talk and walk, but were not made of computers and metal, things who could...feel.
Well, as Kyra grew up, she became an amazing computer technician. She became so good that the government soon gave her the top job. Kyra now had access to highly classified information. She read most of it, and whoever was writing it obviously had no...feeling? What was that word? Many of the classified things were...sad? Kyra felt something, but how could the writer not?
At long last she found the oldest piece of classified information, which explained the whole thing. This was what was written: ‘The robot worked out wonderfully! The AI program is so good! (because I made it) It acts just like a human...well, I guess actually it isn’t quite, because it can’t really feel anything….but that’s not really a problem! Now I just need to make a bunch more.
I have finally gotten to my new planet and it has 1oo robots. I was thinking about making more, but I don’t know if they exactly do death, and I don’t want to overpopulate my planet!
Things aren’t going to well, even with my medicine I’ve made, I’m still dying. I haven’t finished my research. I still haven’t given my robots feelings, and I need to figure out how they interact with humans, besides me. I think I shall have them go take my granddaughter from earth (who is good with computers) so she can carry on my work.’
@ Dessie S.
I love For King and Country! And my favorite song by them is Burn the Ships!
@ Dessie S.
Did you write ur comment at 2 or 3 in the morning?
@ All
So 4 those of you who want to buy my book, it might be done more like mid May, June. And I might alter the name, so just look 4 it under my (pen) name. Just FYI for these awesome people who want to read my (probably not so awesome as ur hoping :D) book.
@Bella
What’s your penname again?
Is your past chasing, or haunting your mind?
@Typewriters
Quick reminder..my subject lines are making a poem
@Bella
Really? Cool! I only just heard it when I was listening to Casting Crowns it showed up now I can't get enough of it! And no I wrote it at one A M, I was allowed to stay up because my parents were trying to reach out to this teacher.
@Bethy
Wow, cool story!
Happy Sunday everyone! Enjoy HIS day!
@ Amelia B.
My pen name is Elizabeth J. Robinson. I have a new name for my book, (don't worry, not changing the storyline AT ALL!) Running Deer, The Story of a NUMAKIKI Indian girl. Numakiki instead of Mandan.
@ Dessie: Ah, I see! :D
@Dessie
Wow I didn't even notice that until now!! Good job!!!!!!
@Bethy: Your turn for the list, right?
:)
So Dessies aid it was my turn so..
Rainbow
Cat
Song
Computer
Flavour
:) Just a question
@Dessie, can you let me know when you finish your subject line poem? I'm writing it down as you go.. And when it is done, can I use it in a newspaper I make for my family? I could write at the end, Written by Desarose S, WTN
Dessie
P.S. It is totally fine to say no to me using it in my newspaper!!!
this is mylee
@Bella Im sure your book will be awesome :). Also at Caro that is so cool about your newspaper !
@ Mylee S.
Thanks! :D
:)
@Mylee, thanks! I like it, but sometimes I forget to print it! LOL!
.
Riley: No, my list was the one nobody seemed to like very much, you know, with cyber and biome. But thanks for making sure! :) (I don't know if I even used biome in my thing!)
Dessie: Ooh! I didn't realize that at all! When the poem is finished, can you write it all out so I can see the whole thing?
Bella: Thanks for letting us know! Why did you decide to change it?
Caro: Good list!
Caro's Writing Plunge
I think this might be my best one yet! (Sorry if there are any typos!)
There once was a Cat, (named Prinkles) who loved computers more than anything--well, rainbows were a close second, but she could get 3D images of rainbows on her lavish computer, so she didn’t need rainbows. Now, this might surprise you, but she was actually the Queen of her Kingdom, (her Kingdom was named Kingdom). Anyway, one day, as she ate a red herring with a wonderful flavour, a knock sounded on the door. Prinkles jumped daintily to the ground and opened it. She turned up her noose disgustedly. It was the king of the Other Kingdom, so it was a dog.
“What do you want?” She purred nastily.
“Well,” said the royal dog slowly, “I’m looking for sheet music for a song I really like.”
Prinkles gave him her most disdainful look yet, “And why, oh why, should that concern me?” She asked condescendingly.
The dog looked impatient, “Because the wind blew it from my Kingdom into yours, so I was wondering if you could help me.”
Prinkles had no desire to do this whatsoever, but she did like to impress. So she typed very quickly into her computer, and found that the coordinates of his music sheet were hidden inside a rainbow.
They then made a hot air balloon and had many adventures I don’t have time to tell. But what I will say is that they got the song and Dog played it on the piano. Prinkles found a pot of gold, and Dog told her she could have it. But Prinkles had learned a lesson of being kind, and so she gave it to Dog.
Afterwards, the relationship between the two Kingdoms increased magnificently. They were able to stand strong against the attack of the Lions and Wolves. And so together the two Kingdoms lasted for years and years, all because of lost sheet music and a computer.
The End!
this is mylee
@Caro and Bella your welcome :). @Bethy that sounds like a great childrens story XD !
this is mylee
The computer geek . There once was a girl named Jenny who loved computers . she was on them all day. Her mother told her to get of them but she refused . The mother didn't know what to do so she quickly called the secret doctor named Dr. Flavor . He was quite an unusal fellow whom wore the same old ugly rainbow coat everyday but he had an important job helping all children with bad habits. Dr.Flavor gladly decided to help The mother with her case. One day when Jenny was playing on her computer she was some how sucked up into it ! She found herself in an unsual place trapped..... (thats all I could write right now was it any good.....)
@ Mylee
Thank you so much! The one that you wrote was great too! Let's see...if mine was a children's fairy tale, then your was sci-fi? Hmm, probably children's literature. Anyway, good job!
this is mylee
@Bethy thx :).
this is mylee
also i joined world teen type writers on quizzlet and no one has accepted my request for like a week.
@ Mylee
What's the link?
this is mylee
@Bethy what link ? TO quizlet ?
Does your misfortune seem planned and timed?
@Caro
I’m sorry, today I don’t have enough time to do the writing plunge:( But it looks like such a fun one so I might give a shot at it tomorrow! And sure you can do that with my poem, if you continue to like it. Um...one thing...can you use some sort of code name for me if you put it in the newspaper? Like anonymous or something like that? Or A Typewriter or something? Just not Desarose? Thanks, I like my name, but I just don’t really feel comfortable otherwise...I’m so sorry if that was offensive! I really feel honored and am glad you like the poem! I also publish a newspaper!
@Bethy and Riley
Thank you! And Bethy sure I can!
@Mylee and Bethy
Your stories are awesome!
.
Mylee: Oh sorry, yeah, I didn't make that clear. I meant for Quizlet. Also, what is the name of it?
Dessie: Thanks! :)
Alas, no one shall ever know,
@Caro Guess what! I had some time to write the plunge! I didn't type this, wrote it on paper, so that's why it is extra long. Hope it makes some sense! (And sorry I wasn't creative with the words...)
The Rainbow in Your Heart
It was a cold, crisp winter day, and six year old Jane was looking for a rainbow.
Jane had a brain disorder that made it hard for her to understand things. Her mother tried to tell her that it was twenty below, no time to go looking for a rainbow, and certainly not in the middle of winter, but Jane insisted she find a rainbow. Jane’s mother didn’t know what to do, but Jane’s older sister, eight year old Lacey, had volunteered to help her look for the rainbow. Their mother sighed and agreed, figuring they would return when they got cold. So that was why Lacey and Jane were out looking for a rainbow. As soon as they stepped outside Lacey asked: “So, Jane, where do you want to look for the rainbow?” Jane pointed to the neighbor, Mrs. Cherry’s, house. Lacey followed as they went and knocked on the door. A grumpy old lady opened it and asked without any flavor in her flat tone: “What do you want?” “Jane is looking for a rainbow.” Lacey said. “There are no rainbows here.” Snapped Mrs. Cherry. “Or anywhere else around here for that matter. It’s the middle of winter! Go home and ask your mother to open her computer and look up a picture of a rainbow.” With that she slammed the door in their faces. Lacey held her breath, hoping that Jane wouldn’t wail, but all Jane said was: “It’s alwight, Lacey. Thewe’s no wainbow in hewe anyway.” Jane led them to the next house, where a cat sat on the porch. She knocked on the door, and Ms. Kim, the owner of the house opened it. When she saw them, her face twisted into a smile that looked like a grimace. “I’m sorry,” she said in a sickly sweet voice, “But you cannot visit today.” again the door was shut in their faces. It was like that with every house they went too. Finally Lacey said, “Jane we have gone to every house in the neighborhood. Would you like to look somewhere else for the rainbow?” Jane shook her head. “No Lacey, I found the wainbow alweady.” Her grin spread from cheek to cheek, and there was a song in her eyes. “Where is it?” Lacey asked as they headed home. Jane looked up at her. “The wainbow is my oldew sistew Lacey. Lacey went out in the coldie to make Jane happy for a long time.” Lacey felt a warmth grow in her, despite the cold air. She reached down and took Jane’s little hand and held it tightly, and together they walked up the steps into their home.
Alas, no one shall ever know,
@Caro Guess what! I had some time to write the plunge! I didn't type this, wrote it on paper, so that's why it is extra long. Hope it makes some sense! (And sorry I wasn't creative with the words...)
The Rainbow in Your Heart
It was a cold, crisp winter day, and six year old Jane was looking for a rainbow.
Jane had a brain disorder that made it hard for her to understand things. Her mother tried to tell her that it was twenty below, no time to go looking for a rainbow, and certainly not in the middle of winter, but Jane insisted she find a rainbow. Jane’s mother didn’t know what to do, but Jane’s older sister, eight year old Lacey, had volunteered to help her look for the rainbow. Their mother sighed and agreed, figuring they would return when they got cold. So that was why Lacey and Jane were out looking for a rainbow. As soon as they stepped outside Lacey asked: “So, Jane, where do you want to look for the rainbow?” Jane pointed to the neighbor, Mrs. Cherry’s, house. Lacey followed as they went and knocked on the door. A grumpy old lady opened it and asked without any flavor in her flat tone: “What do you want?” “Jane is looking for a rainbow.” Lacey said. “There are no rainbows here.” Snapped Mrs. Cherry. “Or anywhere else around here for that matter. It’s the middle of winter! Go home and ask your mother to open her computer and look up a picture of a rainbow.” With that she slammed the door in their faces. Lacey held her breath, hoping that Jane wouldn’t wail, but all Jane said was: “It’s alwight, Lacey. Thewe’s no wainbow in hewe anyway.” Jane led them to the next house, where a cat sat on the porch. She knocked on the door, and Ms. Kim, the owner of the house opened it. When she saw them, her face twisted into a smile that looked like a grimace. “I’m sorry,” she said in a sickly sweet voice, “But you cannot visit today.” again the door was shut in their faces. It was like that with every house they went too. Finally Lacey said, “Jane we have gone to every house in the neighborhood. Would you like to look somewhere else for the rainbow?” Jane shook her head. “No Lacey, I found the wainbow alweady.” Her grin spread from cheek to cheek, and there was a song in her eyes. “Where is it?” Lacey asked as they headed home. Jane looked up at her. “The wainbow is my oldew sistew Lacey. Lacey went out in the coldie to make Jane happy for a long time.” Lacey felt a warmth grow in her, despite the cold air. She reached down and took Jane’s little hand and held it tightly, and together they walked up the steps into their home.
Your hidden grievance or your woe.
@All so it's my turn next right? If so here is my list, I'm putting it up now because I don't think I'll get on here early enough tomorrow....
Traitor
Rope
Fire
Coward
Ear
Slash
(Such a dark list....I mean one could come up with so many dark plots.....)
@Naidia&Riley&All
For some reason the internet is letting me load the first page, and I'm rereading the advice you guys gave me and want to say...THANK YOU SO MUCH! I think I have come so much further because of you ALL. Thank you for all your support and encouragement. I really think you guys built me up and made me more confident in my writing. Thank you so much!
~Dessie (The dog musher, dragon lover, digger of holes that fill up with water.....)
:)
@Typewriters, can I do mine and then Dessie's? I didn't do mine yesterday but..?
@Dessie, that totally makes sense!At the end of the poem I'll write, written by a Typewriter
this is mylee
@Bethy it says on the rules you cant post links to other web sites but its on quizzlet website ( .com) then search world teen type writers by yurmi something i think its lissa 's profile .
this is mylee
so basically to sum things up. Jenny is in a world inside her computer where she learns that playing her video game in real life is more fun and better for her health. until the bad guy is running after her. She was safe then brought in a world were she had to primal survive . Without technology (which is really hard for her ) She also finds out she loves animals when she plays with a helpless cat. Lastly she was brought into a library were she had to write a long essay. She never really read books and found a whole new world brought before her eyes. She couldn't keep her head out of a book. Her essay was called ' There is More Fun In This World Then A Screen ' . She found herself back in her room . She shut the computer screen. And went to the kitchen "Did you miss me mom " , "Huh you were only up there for 5 minuets " her mom replied. "Oh never mind " said Jenny laughing. Jenny asked her mom if she could get a pet cat. And asked to stop by the library. Jenny joined girl scouts,and built a fort in her yard.. She also joined the new track team and started eating healthy . She only played games for a bit on the weekends and had a balanced life the end.
(DId ya'll like it )
this is mylee
also Dr.Flavor visited the next day and gave her mother some pills. "Just in case she ever gets on the screen to much " He winked then vanished away . The end.
this is Kaewyn
1600th comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : D
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