The Snake King of the Kalinago
By Pupils from Year 6 (the top year of primary level) of Atkinson School, Dominica.
(U.K.- Feb. 2010)
This delightful children’s book – the first to be written by local children in Dominica – tells the story of the myth of the Kalinago snake. Like all myths it has changed down the centuries and this version is an adaptation by a primary school class who, from their own knowledge and their own imaginations, came up with this lively tale. (Read more)
(Published by Papillote Press).
Price: See Central Virtual Bookstore
HOME AGAIN
Stories of Migration and Return compiled by Celia Sorhaindo and Polly Pattullo with the Dominica UK Association (DUKA)
Publication date: 1 August 2009, £9.99
(available in Dominica outlets at EC$40)
Dominica has one of the highest migration rates in the world. But what happens when those migrants return to Dominica after living and working abroad, often after decades away? The migrants’ journey is a well-told story but little is known about those who return. Why do they go back? What is it like to be “back home”? Home Again is a collection of contemporary real-life stories by 22 Dominicans, from all walks of life, aged between 40 and 73, and from all parts of the island, who are now back home after living, working or studying in the UK, the US, Canada, and in the Caribbean region. In their own words, each contributor recounts the story of their childhood, the experience of migration and, finally, the positive and negative aspects of returning to their much-loved island. Home Again highlights the important contributions made by the returnees, both overseas and in Dominica. Compelling, moving and intensely personal, Home Again is a revealing insight into the lives of these pioneering migrants.
Some quotes from Home Again:
- “We’re saying that we have built this country just as the people who stayed have built it.”
- “They just think because you go to England you pick up money on the ground.” * “I said to myself this is my paradise jungle. I love it.”
- “I have a sense of belonging for the first time in my life.”
Celia Sorhaindo is a Dominican returnee who came home in 2005.
Polly Pattullo is a British journalist and the publisher of Papillote Press.
For more information contact Polly Pattullo; Tel: 0207 720 5983
IT FALLS INTO PLACE
By ALLFREY, Phyllis Shand
A discussion of the life and legacy of the author can be found on the BBC at www.bbc.co.uk
(U.K.-2004)
It Falls Into Place brings together for the first time the shorter fiction of Phyllis Shand Allfrey, whose novel The Orchid House is a classic of Caribbean literature. These tantalising stories -- set in Dominica, New York and London yet always steeped in an unmistakably West Indian identity -- probe beneath the surface of colonial life, often drawing on autobiographical experience. Allfrey's skill is to lead her characters -- of different races and cultures -- into unpredictable encounters where miracles can happen.
(Published by Papillote Press).
Price: CAN$17.00 / US$14.00 / UK £7.99 / EC$32.00 + Shipment
Please note: Shipment Costs are in UK currency.
A CARIBBEAN HISTORY Hillsborough: a plantation in Dominica
By Kathy MacLean and Karen Mears with Polly Pattullo.
Papillote Press is delighted to publish the story of Hillsborough, one
of Dominica’s most historic estates. From sugar to tourism, slavery to
freedom, hurricanes and revolt, with links to the industrial revolution
in England, all these themes are part of Hillsborough’s history. This
publication comes in two sections in a plastic wallet: twelve beautifully
illustrated cards (see some examples below) for children, with
questions and activities, and a 32-page booklet that provides detailed
information about each card designed for teachers and anyone
interested in Dominican or Caribbean history.
The pack was commissioned by the Ethnic Minority Achievement
Service of Wandsworth Council in South London. Every school in the
borough has a copy. (ISBN: 9780953222476)
To buy a copy at £19.50 (plus £2 p & p), contact Papillote Press, 23 Rozel Road, London SW4 0EY or polly.pattullo@gmail.com
ABRAHAM’S TREASURE
By Joanne Skerrett.
“A moving coming of age story packed with tropical
adventure.” Ros Asquith, prize-winning children’s
author.
This novel for young people (12 years and up) is a
terrific adventure story set in Dominica. Teenage
twin brothers, James and Jerome, discover that some
treasure, buried during the days of slavery, is their
rightful inheritance.
As the boys de-code the clues that will lead to the
treasure, they have some strange encounters: there’s
a helpful parrot, a ghostly figure from the past and
a legless man who can walk; they escape from a
falling tower and discover a boiling lake. And, of
course, there’s also an evil stranger who confronts
them in an exciting ending.
Author Joanne Skerrett was born and brought up in Dominica. She moved to the United
States as a teenager where she went to university, became a journalist, trained as a
lawyer and now lives and works in Washington DC. This is her fourth novel but her first
book for young people.
Polly Pattullo of Papillote Press says: “I am delighted to be publishing Abraham’s Treasure.
From my first reading of the manuscript, I was struck by its ‘page-turning’ quality. I love the
way that the twins are typical 14-year-olds but have this very untypical adventure in
the wild Dominican landscape. I hope that teenagers, in particular boy readers in the
Caribbean, will enjoy this book and identify with the characters. I know how important it is
for children to have access to books that reflect their own cultures.
Price: £6.99. ISBN: 9780953222483
UK publication date: November 1 2011
For further information please contact: Polly Pattullo, publisher, Papillote Press
polly.pattullo@gmail.com or FACEBOOK
LOOK BACK!
By Trish Cooke.
A well-known children’s author, best known for the award-winning 'So Much!' Other books include 'Full, Full, Full of Love' and 'Hey Crazy Riddle'. Born in the UK of Dominican heritage, she is also a pantomime writer, TV presenter and story teller.
Look Back! celebrates the relationship between a grandmother and her
grandson as she tells him about her Caribbean childhood adventures in the
rainforest in search of a mysterious creature called Ti Bolom. Is Grannie’s Ti
Bolom real or just one of her stories? This is a beguiling tale that weaves the
traditional experience with a modern curiosity.
UK publication date: May 31 2013;
ISBN: 9780957118720
Price: GBP £6.99.
For further information please contact: Polly Pattullo, publisher, Papillote Press
polly.pattullo@gmail.com