Category Archives: Caribbean Lit News This Week

On Sunday November 30, the Bocas Lit Fest Committee released the news that The Whisperer’s Warning by Danielle Y. C. McClean and illustrated by Rachel Moss was the winner of the 2022 Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Prize. The book is the second in the Secrets of Oscuros series. The first book, The Protectors’ Pledge is also a prize winner, having captured the third prize in the 2016 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature. The Whisperer’s Warning continues the fantasy, mystery, and magic of the series all built on the proposition that “There’s plenty, plenty more to this world than what we see with our eyes.” This prize seeks to recognise and celebrate excellent writing and intriguing storytelling that can capture young imaginations and help establish a lifelong love and habit of reading in our young Caribbean demographic. The Whisperer’s Warning was recognized by the judging panel and announced Winner of the Prize on Sunday. The Prize Winner receives a cash prize sponsored by the Wainwright Family.

The runner’s up for the 2022 prize were:

• The Land Below by Aarti Gosine (JAV Publishing, 2022) – Trinidad and Tobago
• I Write Rhymes by Nadine Johnson (123 Mango Tree LLC, 2021) – Jamaica
• Zo and the Forest of Secrets by Alake Pilgrim (Knights Of Ltd, 2022) – Trinidad and Tobago

This is the second year that this prize has been held. Another CaribbeanReads’ publication, Chaos in Castries by Carol Ottley-Mitchell was short-listed for the 2021 prize. Other award winners in the CaribbeanReads’ catalog include Musical Youth by Joanne C. Hillhouse which was a finalist in the 2014 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature and Barberry Hill which was shortlisted for the 2016 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature.

Ms. McClean and everyone at CaribbeanReads are delighted with the book’s success in the prize. Read more about The Whisperer’s Warning here.

When my children were younger they were obsessed with book series. They planned their reading based on the availability of the next book, mark dates on their calendars for when the next book was scheduled to be released. Some Benefits of Introducing Your Children to Books in Series More reading: Series help keep up momentum in your child’s reading, because there is another book that they already know they will enjoy. Better engagement: Children love to collect and categorize things and what better things to collect than books! Longterm readers: Series help children to identify themselves as readers (theschoolrun.com). They can engage in discussions about reading, about their favorite authors, and more. More confident reading: Predictability in the characters and plot helps readers to understand the books easier and helps them to feel good about reading (reading-rewards.com). Scaffolded Reading: Because readers feel confident in their reading, series allow for subtle development of vocabulary and introduction of increasingly complex themes.

Series at CaribbeanReads

CaribbeanReads’ catalog includes a number of series for various ages. Introduce your children to them and watch them bloom!
Youngest Readers: Little One Series by Heidi Fagerberg illustrated by Ann-Catherine Loo
Living the Beach Life by Heidi Fagerberg
Younger Readers: Chee Chee’s Adventures by Carol Ottley-Mitchell illustrated by Ann-Catherine Loo
Middle Grade: Caribbean Adventure Series by Carol Ottley-Mitchell
Middle Grade: Secrets of Oscuros by Danielle Y. C. McClean

Here is another purchasing option for our United States customers – BookShop.org. A self-described ‘benefit corporation,’ Bookshop.org is dedicated to supporting indie bookstores and authors.
CaribbeanReads earns an affiliate commission on books purchased at Bookshop.org.

Our interview with Juleus Ghunta, author of Rohan Bullkin and the Shadows and Tata and the Big Bad Bull appears in the 14th issue of Cacique Magazine. Read about his journey and his latest book. Also view our other interviews on our Cacique page.

CaribbeanReaders! We all know the benefits of reading aloud to our children. Here are a few videos that you can share with your young ones while they read the books.

• The Angry Sun by Jazey Wallace
• Excerpt of The Whisperer’s Warning by Danielle Y. C. McClean
• Seascapes by Carol Ottley-Mitchell
• Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure by Joanne C. Hillhouse
• Marvin and the Race to the Nest by Carol Ottley-Mitchell
• The Crumb Bunch by Heidi Fagerberg
• Look! A Moko Jumbie by Opal Palmer Adisa

Mark this page as we add new videos.
Enjoy!

This is one of the most difficult posts I have written for the CaribbeanReads’ blog. I learned on Friday that playwright, mentor, and friend, David Edgecombe had passed away. I first met David in 2013 in Antigua at the home of his dear friends, Pam and Percy Arthurton. That meeting was the beginning of a close friendship that developed mainly over the phone and email as we were seldom in the same physical space at the same time. We communicated almost daily right up to the week that he passed away.

David was an active supporter of CaribbeanReads’ work. He never missed an opportunity to promote our books, and he provided solid counsel over the years. He also entrusted us with publishing five of his plays: Lady of Parham, For Better For Worse, Heaven, Strong Currents, and Hubert Harrison. He wrote a preface for each of the first four of these plays. Always the educator, he wanted readers to understand the history of the plays and the process behind his writing. Always humble, he wanted to recognize those who assisted him and to pay tribute to the people on whose shoulders he stood. We argued over the length (David was not known for being succinct) and the content (he was definitely not known for his tact). He yielded on some points but mainly he stood his ground and I am so happy he did as they are a useful insight into his unending passion for the stage and his drive to see drama become more prominent in Caribbean society. I know that he would be happy if I paid my tribute to him by making these prefaces available to the general public;  he was never one for any barriers between writers and readers.
Here they are:
2014 Preface for Lady of Parham
2015 Preface for For Better For Worse
2016 Preface for Heaven
2017 Preface for Strong Currents
Rest in peace, David.

It’s here! The perfect colouring book for the long school vacation. Keep your young ones occupied and excited with this Caribbean-themed colouring book.

Filled with large, boldly-outlined pictures, Colour My World is designed for children who are just starting to colour. Add this book to the library of every young person you know.

They will have hours of creative fun with Caribbean-themed images away from a screen: exactly what they need for the long school vacation. Order online or ask for it in your favorite book store.

* Contact CaribbeanReads for great discounts on orders of more than twenty copies.