A collection of favourite tales gathered from the many different islands of the Caribbean, one of the world's richest sources of traditional storytelling. From the very first Kingfisher to Anansi the Spider Man, these lively retellings full of humour and pathos, are beautifully retold by Trish Cooke. The book includes endnotes with a glossary, additional information as well as ideas for activities that children can do to explore the stories further.
The Caribbean is the source of one of the richest, most accessible, and yet technically adventurous traditions of contemporary world literature. This collection extends beyond the realm of English-speaking writers, to include stories published in Spanish, French, and Dutch. It brings together contributions from major figures such as V. S. Naipaul, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and work from the exciting new generation of Caribbean writers represented by Edwidge Danticat, and Jamaica Kincaid.
Since its beginnings 33 years ago, Peepal Tree has published around 45 collections of Caribbean short stories, reinforcing the view that the short story is the Caribbean literary form par excellence. This anthology draws from those collections, plus a few guests, focusing on work written over the past twenty-five years, the majority dealing with the recent post-independence period up to the present. Though quality is the ultimate criteria, this anthology is unrivalled in its range across the Anglophone Caribbean and its diasporas, and representative of Caribbean ethnicities, gender and sexual orientations. Stories offer images of the city from ghettos to gated communities, suburbia, villages, the coastal margins. They display a range of contemporary concerns: social fragmentation, political corruption, sexual politics. They display a range of short story genres from satire, gritty realism, magical realism, fantasy, the gothic, the folkloric, horror, crime, erotica, flash fiction, the speculative... Whilst the stories in the anthology collectively offer an insightful picture of both the contemporary Caribbean and of the current status of the Caribbean short story as a form, the overall editorial aim has been to create a book that gives the reader a rich, varied and rewarding reading experience. The collection includes the work of, amongst others, Opal Palmer Adisa, Christine Barrow, Rhoda Bharath, Jacqueline Bishop, Hazel Campbell, Merle Collins, Cyril Dabydeen, Kwame Dawes, Curdella Forbes, Ifeona Fulani, Keith Jardim, Barbara Jenkins, Meiling Jin, Cherie Jones, Helen Klonaris, Sharon Leach, Alecia McKenzie, Sharon Millar, Anton Nimblett, Geoffrey Philp, Velma Pollard, Jennifer Rahim, Raymond Ramcharitar, Jacob Ross, Leone Ross, Olive Senior, Jan Shinebourne, Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw and N.D. Williams.
Read Along or Enhanced eBook: In this trickster tale from Africa, Anansi proves to Elephant and Killer Whale that in a battle of wits, brains definitely outdo brawn.
Spanning the history of Caribbean writing, this meticulously compiled collection of 40 short stories includes pre-Columbian legends and myths from India and Africa, and many stories that are an evocative reminder of the turbulent history of the region. Authors featured include Andrew Salkey, Jean Rhys, V.S. Naipaul, Jamaica Kincaid, and Lawrence Scott, among others. A major anthology reflecting the diversity and richness of Caribbean writing.
Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Anansi is invited to three parties and wants to attend them all. He gives each of his hosts a rope to tug, ties the other end around his own waist, and waits to be summoned when the food is served -- but when all of the food is ready at the same time, Anansi is caught in the middle!
"The lingering smell of wet mould hung in the air, and under the glow of the streetlight, her once shapely form was now a series of lumps and bumps clad in dirty old rags that dragged along the floor."FROM THE AUTHOR OF UNNATURAL ENCOUNTERS: ONLY IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO...Island Tales, a series of twenty-seven folklore stories featuring supernatural beings and characters from across the Caribbean region. Characters who have no doubt haunted the dreams and nightmares and maybe even lives of most Caribbean-born people. Stand among the watchful army of pop-culture statues in "The Sculptor" or join the mob against Blue, the thieving shopkeeper in "Tipping the Scales". Stroll along the riverbanks with Nerida in "Water Baby" or maybe just kick back and enjoy a special feature article in the Sunday newspaper entitled "Endless Cycle". But, however you choose to spend your time here, just be sure to remember one thing: always cast a wary eye behind you, lest you end up like poor Mr. Gundy in "Piggy Back Rides for Mr. Gundy".
Although the Islands of the Caribbean are comprised of many different cultures, the people of the Islands respect each other’s differences and embrace their similarities. Caribbean Stories celebrates the wide diversity of the Islands, combining historical background and fiction for a fascinating read that will both educate and entertain. The book begins in 1692 with James and Hazel, who have survived a devastating earthquake and must work together to run a sugar plantation. They will face opposition from the British Empire and surmount personal tragedy, hardship—even encounters with pirates—to keep their dreams alive. From the Bahamas to Trinidad and Belize to Barbados and Cuba to Jamaica, this sweeping family saga is as captivating as the Caribbean itself.
