A Meaningful Stop in Valle de Santiago: Juego de Pelota at Casa de la Cultura
Valle de Santiago, Guanajuato, is a place with a special connection to Laura Elena . Although she was born there, her childhood was closely tied to the city, where she grew up surrounded by a large and loving family. Returning years later to present her new book made this stop of her Mexico tour particularly meaningful.
At the Casa de la Cultura de Valle de Santiago, Laura presented Juego de Pelota: Descubre sus secretos con La Catrina Bohemia in an afternoon dedicated to literature and culture.
During the presentation, Laura shared the story behind the book and the research that led her to explore Mexico’s ancient ballgames, including the importance of speaking directly with people who continue to practice these traditions.
The visit also gave Laura the opportunity to recognize the work being done by Zuriel Jonathan Negrete Rivero, director of Casa de la Cultura, to bring children closer to books, reading, and cultural activities. His efforts include working alongside the Municipal Library “Justo Sierra”, strengthening the connection between cultural activities, literature, and younger audiences.
This is particularly meaningful to Laura, whose own books are created with the intention of making Mexican culture accessible and engaging for children. Through the adventures of La Catrina Bohemia, Juego de Pelota invites young readers to discover different forms of an ancestral tradition and to become curious about Mexico’s history and cultural heritage.
For Laura, the presentation was also an opportunity to reconnect with people from the community and share a project that, although created from the Czech Republic, remains deeply connected to her Mexican roots.
She is especially grateful to Casa de la Cultura de Valle de Santiago for the warm welcome and for all the facilities provided to make the presentation possible, and gives special thanks to Gloria Luz Garcidueñas Piña, whose support and dedication helped make the event happen.
The Casa de la Cultura also recognized the support of Municipal President Israel Mosqueda Gasca in strengthening cultural activities for the people of Valle de Santiago.
For Laura, returning to Valle with Juego de Pelota was a particularly nice coincidence: a place that was part of her childhood became part of the journey of a book created to share Mexico’s cultural heritage with new generations.
