After studying acting at Pontificia Universidad Católica, Andrés Kalawski received a master’s degree in Literature from Universidad de Chile, and a Ph.D. in History from Pontificia Universidad Católica. He has directed a dozen theatrical works, many of which have been featured in festivals in Chile and abroad. His written work has appeared in both individual publications as well as anthologies, in Chile, Cuba and Mexico. He has published poetry (Communist Youth Award, 2002), books for children (Marta Brunet Award, 2012 and Colibrí Medal, 2017), and he has also worked on television scripts, for which he has been twice nominated for the Altazor prize, in 2006 and 2008. A panelist on Radio Cooperativa since 2014, he is presently Artistic Director of Teatro Universidad Católica.
The Girl Who got Lost in her Hair
Lucía was a tall, thin girl, and her hair was straight and long,
tied with a headband. When she got angry, she pulled the headband, and
her hair covered her face.
Andrés Kalawski: IBBY Chile Award 2019, Marta Brunet Children's Literature Award 2012
This is the story of Lucía, a very special girl who covers her face with her beautiful long black hair when she gets angry. One day, when Lucía is very upset, she decides to hide behind her hair, as usual. However, this time she can't find her way out. Trying to escape from those multiple and tangled strands of hair, she sees a light and walks towards it.
Then, a journey full of surprises begins in which she meets a very particular character. At first, he seems scary, but after facing him he becomes a friend who will help her find her way home.... And, incidentally, to find other things too, because Lucía always loses everything!
A deep story full of emotions and symbolisms, which shows us that sometimes the worst monsters can be inside us, but not be as bad as we think.
An Empty Space
The protagonist of this story has just moved into a new house. Everything seems to be going well, until he starts hearing strange noises at night and his toys start to get messy on their own, without explanation.
“Dear Diary: This ghost is not that of a person, it is that of one thing: in my room there is a ghost of a piano. So when things get messy they leave that big empty space, like the shape of a sofa”.
Winner of the Hummingbird Medal 2017 (IBBY Chile) for Best Children's Fiction Writer.
