Caribbean Children's Literature, Volume 1

Book excerpt: Contributions by María V. Acevedo-Aquino, Consuella Bennett, Florencia V. Cornet, Stacy Ann Creech, Zeila Frade, Melissa García Vega, Ann González, Louise Hardwick, Barbara Lalla, Megan Jeanette Myers, Betsy Nies, Karen Sanderson-Cole, Karen Sands-O’Connor, Geraldine Elizabeth Skeete, and Aisha T. Spencer The world of Caribbean children’s literature finds its roots in folktales and storytelling. As countries distanced themselves from former colonial powers post-1950s, the field has taken a new turn that emerges not just from writers within the region but also from those of its diaspora. Rich in language diversity and history, contemporary Caribbean children’s literature offers a window into the ongoing representations of not only local realities but also the fantasies that structure the genre itself. Young adult literature entered the region in the 1970s, offering much-needed representations of teenage voices and concerns. With the growth of local competitions and publishing awards, the genre has gained momentum, providing a new field of scholarly analyses. Similarly, the field of picture books has also deepened. Caribbean Children's Literature, Volume 1: History, Pedagogy, and Publishing includes general coverage of children’s literary history in the regions where the four major colonial powers have left their imprint; addresses intersections between pedagogy and children’s literature in the Anglophone Caribbean; explores the challenges of producing and publishing picture books; and engages with local authors familiar with the terrain. Local writers come together to discuss writerly concerns and publishing challenges. In new interviews conducted for this volume, international authors Edwidge Danticat, Junot Díaz, and Olive Senior discuss their transition from writing for adults to creating picture books for children.