Valuing the World with a Different Sensitivity

From August 13 through September, the Book of the Month will feature Oil on Roses, written by Yaneisy Ariste, a talented young author from Pinar del Río. The book is published by Ediciones Loynaz, located in the Pinar del Río province.

The inspiration for the text comes from Ariste’s connection with students at the José Martí Special School in Vueltabajo, where she leads an artistic-literary workshop called Gestures. In this workshop, the students read stories by Cuban authors and create paintings inspired by those narratives. Ariste, who is also a visual artist, explains that these experiences deeply influence her writing.

Oil on Roses tells the story of Natalia, a blind girl who has vivid dreams and associates colors with elements of nature and her surroundings. Natalia is mourning the loss of her mother but finds comfort and reconciliation through her father’s love. Motivated by this bond, she dreams of completing the unfinished painting her mother left behind. One day, guided by her unique perception of the world, she embarks on a journey to finish the artwork. As Ariste describes it, “this is a story of deep love and seemingly impossible challenges that are, in fact, surmountable—because the protagonist never gives up.”

Ariste finds it fascinating how children like Natalia perceive and express their unique worlds. Through the Gestures workshop, she has witnessed how these children «value the world with a different sensitivity; what we often overlook in everyday life, they see with new hues, shades, and concepts,” as she shared in a recent interview.

Edited by José Manuel Pérez Cordero and illustrated by Raúl Martínez—both respected figures in children’s literature—Oil on Roses aims to engage readers of all ages.

This is Yaneisy Ariste’s third children’s book. A two-time recipient of the Chicuelo Prize, she will present the book in print, digital formats, and through a mobile app at various cultural venues across the city, including parks, libraries, and cultural centers.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez