Five Blocks

For Samanta, the journey to the coast may be longer than the five blocks from her house to the beach, and today is the day she decided to make it on her own. Her mother, a loving accomplice, supports her decision and gives her the tools she knows her daughter needs.
The narrative, austere and empathetic, avoids explanations. Samanta’s character is constructed through actions and thoughts that make her move forward and backward. The girl’s tension is conveyed to the reader, captured by the illustrations: gestures, downcast eyes, uncertain movements. On each double page, we accompany her every step of the way. The reading reveals every detail, forcing us to hold our breath, walk slowly, and check every step. Walking five blocks is a real adventure, and Mirza and Baladan tell it as such.

Key points

2025 – Book recommended by the CRA Library Programme in Chile
2023 – 100 Recommended Books Award, Cuatrogatos Foundation, USA
2019 – First place in Uruguay’s National Literature Award, Unpublished Children’s and Young Adult book

• It is an excellent resource for addressing the topic of neurodiversity, both at home and at school.
• The illustrations act as a sensory window, helping us to better understand the main character.
• It shows that the adult’s role is not to solve the problem, but to be there and provide reassurance until the child finds their own solutions.