Book launch by young publisher/young publishing house

Last Saturday afternoon there was a delightful book launch by Blue Moon Publishing, Tanya Batson-Savage's publishing house. So this is one of the most important aspects - a young publisher, with faith in Jamaican children's books, enough to do her own publishing, not only of her own books, but those written by others also. The book, Bolo the Monkey is written by Jonathan Burke, with illustrations by Nicholas Martin and book design by Mike Robinson. The story is timeless and will appeal to all ages; there's something there to touch everyone's heart; children will enjoy the illustrations. The atmosphere was  just right, vines trailing around the swing and the tent posts, M'Blala drumming, as well as providing appropriate background and sound effects for the exciting reading of the story by Kalando Wilmoth. As Kalando completed the reading of the story, there was a long drawn out sound of 'Awh' from the audience, a sound of satisfaction at a story that made us feel that things might well be right with the world.

It was pointed out to us that even though we do not have monkeys here, there are  monkeys in other islands, and also our folktales have monkeys in them, reflecting that aspect of our African heritage. A number of children volunteered to do impressions of Bolo, and they enjoyed their own creativity, as did we.

 I think what moved me most, apart from the story itself, was that the writing and publication of this book meant so much to the author, and as he said, there are many other stories out there. He told of visiting a friend's school with some of his poems (the story is in verse, by the way) and how the children then would greet him by calling out, 'Here comes the poet!' I like that! You see,  it means that our children can associate literature with their own people, and by extension, themselves. In times like these we cannot have enough of what speaks to the creative good in our people and our children. I applaud Tanya! I believe, from what she said, she might even be thinking of doing adult books as well. We all wish her well.

Photos taken from the Gleaner.