Kingdom of Caribbean plants in ‘Ti Koko and Kush Kush’ | THE DAILY HERALD

Cover of ‘Ti Koko and Kush Kush’ by Patricia G. Turnbull.

Caribbean bay-side artwork by Reuben Vanterpool in the storybook. (HNP photo)

 

PHILIPSBURG–There is a place where the land curves into the wide smile of a bay. A place where lush, green, tropical vegetation thrives next to a white sand beach, which is gently licked by blue waves of the sea. In this paradise of a seascape unfolds the story of Ti Koko and Kush Kush by Patricia G. Turnbull.

In this storybook the vibe is peace, love, and harmony in the friendly ecosystem of yam, coconut, mango, avocado, “tea bush,” and peas and peppers, just to name a few of the plants in “Garden Bay.” Then suddenly, an unexpected disaster disrupts the equilibrium of the happy, magical bay-side community.

In this elegantly written poem story, the reader is immersed into a Caribbean plant kingdom. The Tortola, British Virgin Islands author makes clever use of personification to provide precious lessons about friendship, change and resilience.

Flavoured with ancestral wisdom and folklore, Ti Koko and Kush Kush would certainly stimulate questions about Caribbean history and traditions for children ages four to nine in the region and from around the world.

The book’s colourful illustrations also promise to appeal to the young readers’ attention and serve to further strengthen the cognitive processing of their surroundings.

For her fellow educators, Turnbull’s title provides an early base of a strong foundation for environmental awareness and appreciation, while generating concern about the protection of resources.

Furthermore, while reading this new book at home, or in early stimulation settings, the young and young at heart may be tempted to sing or speak in the voices of the little coconut Ti Koko and the wise yam Kush Kush and to dramatize the story.

Ti Koko and Kush Kush is the third richly-designed children’s book by authors from different Caribbean islands published by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) in St. Maarten.

Ti Koko and Kush Kush is available at bookstores in St. Maarten, Tortola and St. Lucia and online at

www.SPDbooks.org and Adifferentbooklist.com .

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/80065-kingdom-of-caribbean-plants-in-ti-koko-and-kush-kush

LEAVE A REPLY