Down by the river, Down by the sea, Johnny break a bottle An' he say is me. I tell Ma, Ma tell Pa, Johnny get a licking, An' a ha! ha! ha! Here is a fun collection of Afro-Caribbean rhymes games and songs, collected by Trinidadian author Grace Hallworth, and brought to life by Caroline Binch's bright and life-like illustrations.

In her analysis of some of the most interesting and important childrenÕs literature from Central America and the Caribbean, Ann Gonz‡lez uses postcolonial narrative theory to expose and decode what marginalized peoples say when they tell stories to their childrenÑand how the interpretations children give these stories today differ from the ways they have read them in the past. Gonz‡lez reads against the grain, deconstructing and critiquing dominant discourses to reveal consistent narrative patterns throughout the region that have helped children maneuver in a world dominated by powerful figuresÑfrom parents to agents of social control, political repression, and global takeover. Many of these stories are in some way lessons in resistance and survival in a world where Òthe toughest kid on the block,Ó often an outsider, demands that a group of children Òplay or pay,Ó on his terms. Gonz‡lez demonstrates that where traditional strategies have proposed the model of the ÒtricksterÓ or the Òparadoxically astute fool,Ó to mock the pretensions of the would-be oppressor, new trends indicate that the regionÕs childrenÑand those who write for themÑshow increasing interest in playing the game on their own terms, getting to know the Other, embracing difference, and redefining their identity and role within the new global culture. Resistance and Survival emphasizes the hope underlying this contemporary childrenÕs literature for a world in which all voices can be heard and valuedÑthe hope of an authentic happy ending.

In The Child and the Caribbean Imagination, twelve emerging and established scholars in the fields of literature, linguistics and education examine and interrogate the representations, roles and realities of Caribbean children. This multidisciplinary volume explores the experiential, discursive and fictive worlds of the child portrayed and treated variously as subject and object in the region's oral and scribal literatures, formal classroom settings, and other socio-cultural contexts. Divided into four sections - Discourse and Representation, Unstable Identities, Language Development, and Pedagogy - The Child and the Caribbean Imagination offers breadth and depth in its contribution to much-needed academic scholarship aimed at impacting the lives of and paying homage to children in the Caribbean.

Children run, splash, and sing on an island in the West Indies in this lyrical celebration of the Caribbean

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.