Marcela Paz
Encyclopedia
Marcela Paz was the pen name
of Esther Huneeus Salas de Claro, a Chile
an writer. She also used the pen names of Paula de la Sierra, Lukim Retse, P. Neka and Juanita Godoy.
Paz was born in Santiago, Chile
, the second child from a wealthy family. She studied at home. In 1929 she traveled to Paris
for some months and took lessons in visual arts. Back in Chile, she started her literary work. She began publishing in magazines such as El Peneca, Ecran, Zig-Zag, Eva and Margarita, and newspapers like La Nación
, El Mercurio
and La Tercera
. In 1933 she published her first book, Tiempo, papel y lápiz. That same year she married José Luis Claro.
In 1947 Paz published the first book with her most famous character, Papelucho
. Papelucho became a companion and an inspiration to generations of children and perhaps one of Chile's most well known humanized characters of the twentieth century. Between 1964 and 1967, she directed the Asociación Internacional del Libro Juvenil (IBBY).
In 1968 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Award
. In 1979 she received the gold medal from the Instituto Cultural de Providencia. In 1982, she was awarded with the Premio Nacional de Literatura de Chile.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
of Esther Huneeus Salas de Claro, a Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an writer. She also used the pen names of Paula de la Sierra, Lukim Retse, P. Neka and Juanita Godoy.
Paz was born in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the second child from a wealthy family. She studied at home. In 1929 she traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for some months and took lessons in visual arts. Back in Chile, she started her literary work. She began publishing in magazines such as El Peneca, Ecran, Zig-Zag, Eva and Margarita, and newspapers like La Nación
La Nación
La Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
, El Mercurio
El Mercurio
El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
and La Tercera
La Tercera
La Tercera , formerly known as La Tercera de la Hora , is a daily newspaper published in Santiago, Chile and owned by Copesa. It is El Mercurios closest competitor....
. In 1933 she published her first book, Tiempo, papel y lápiz. That same year she married José Luis Claro.
In 1947 Paz published the first book with her most famous character, Papelucho
Papelucho
Papelucho is the main character in a series of children books created by Chilean writer Marcela Paz. Twelve books were published between 1947 and 1974. They became a classic among books for children in Chile....
. Papelucho became a companion and an inspiration to generations of children and perhaps one of Chile's most well known humanized characters of the twentieth century. Between 1964 and 1967, she directed the Asociación Internacional del Libro Juvenil (IBBY).
In 1968 she received the Hans Christian Andersen Award
Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
. In 1979 she received the gold medal from the Instituto Cultural de Providencia. In 1982, she was awarded with the Premio Nacional de Literatura de Chile.