What’s not to love about Callaloo! Callaloo: A Jazz Folklore, The first children’s book adapted from a play with the same name both created by author and playwright Marjuan Canady (of Trinidadian/Black American roots) and illustrated by Nabeeh Bilal follows young Winston on his trip to visit Grandma in Tobago where he encounters a few folklore characters of Trinidad & Tobago.
Expanding the Callaloo series, Callaloo: The Legend of the Golden Coqui the new book is focused around Winston’s friend Marisol as the pair travel to Puerto Rico on an exciting adventure where they encounter folklore characters as the attempt to free the Coqui. The exciting adventure allows them
I love that the series is exploring children of various cultural because it very much authentic to kids in America are growing up exposed to various cultures through their friends. My daughter has friends of various cultural backgrounds as well, and celebrating their cultures comes pretty natural to them. My daughter read the preview copy of Callaloo: The Legend of the Golden Coqui and had a lot of questions about the characters and about the pronunciations of the Spanish words, but loved that idea that she was learning a new language (she’s still studying the glossary!)
Adding to the cultural book series, Marjuan Canady teamed fellow Washington, DC. native Nabeeh Bilal to expand the children’s folklore into a multi-media brand, Callaloo, creating an animated series available online. I bought the first book for my nephew, who still loves it, and he was so intrigued by the animation, which has a variety of “How-To with Callaloo” including learning planets, rapping your ABCs and of course how to make Callaloo. Subscribe to the Callaloo TV YouTube channel for your little ones.
There aren’t a vast number of book for children of Caribbean descent, so when we find one we “haffi support di ting”! The book new book Callaloo: The Legend of the Golden Coqui is officially available January 25, be sure to check the website for more information and keep up with Callaloo on social media.
Website: www.callaloothebook.com
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*Callaloo: A Jazz Folktale is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and iBooks
Mikelah
Mikelah is a Caribbean Culture expert, curating the bridge between the Caribbean and its diaspora. A CUNY Baruch College graduate with a BBA in Marketing. With previous experience with Caribbean lifestyle brands such as VP Records, Tempo TV and JAMROCK Magazine. Currently serving as a digital marketing maven by day, while continuing to collaborate with Caribbean brands.
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