When I was ten years old, I found a book at my local library called MANGO SPICE: 44 Caribbean Songs. Growing up in Toronto in the 1980’s, as a Canadian-born Black child of Jamaican immigrants, I had never seen a book and a cassette tape which profiled songs from my cultural background. I borrowed them and soon my sister and I were trying to learn the songs. My parents overheard our attempts and, recognizing the melodies, sang along with us. I remember that many of these songs were credited to Louise Bennett. But who was Louise Bennett? Many years later, I was taking a writing non-fiction for children course at George Brown College in Toronto. I was given an assignment— to write a query letter and an excerpt of the biography. I knew immediately who I would write about— Louise Bennett – ‘Miss Lou’.
That was in 2012. I wrote A Likkle Miss Lou in the poetry style of Louise Bennett, advocating for the use of patois. I had experienced the appeal of her words first- hand in a Canadian classroom when I taught her poetry to my first grade students. At the time, I was teaching at the Africentric Alternative School in Toronto. Most of my students were children of Caribbean parents and when given Bennett’s poem “Education, Studeration”, they loved her patois words which were fun to say. My students “ate them up”.
After that first workshop, I continued writing and attending workshops, conferences, and courses. I wrote five children’s books which were published— Malaika’s Costume, Malaika’s Winter Carnival, Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter, Sankofa Music, and Sankofa Media. I organized book launches and tours, presented in schools and festivals, continued teaching, and kept writing.
In October 2017, I attended a writing biography workshop in Pennsylvania and my instructor said that it is ideal to publish a biography close to a significant date in your subject’s life. I did a Google search and saw that Miss Lou’s 100th anniversary would be September 7, 2019, but after querying agents and publishers, no publisher could promise that A Likkle Miss Lou would be published in time for her anniversary. None except Owlkids, who recommended veteran artist Eugenie Fernandes to illustrate the book. She had illustrated more than 20 books, including ones by Jamaican author Olive Senior. I was familiar with Eugenie’s work and felt that her colorful illustrations and bright movement style would suit my book.
Fast forward to August 2019, A LIKKLE MISS LOU: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice was published in time for the 100th anniversary. I went to Jamaica in September and presented my book to First Lady Juliet Holness, the National Library, and schools, including the one that my mother attended in Saint Ann, Jamaica.
For more information, visit my website at: www.nadialhohn.com/alikklemisslou
Biography
Born of Jamaican immigrant parents, Nadia L. Hohn is a classroom teacher, presenter, and award-winning author of the picture books Malaika’s Costume and Malaika’s Winter Carnival. Named by CBC as one of the top Black Canadian Writers to Watch in 2018, Nadia holds degrees from the University of Waterloo and OISE at University of Toronto.
Eugenie Fernandes grew up painting with her father, comic-book illustrator Creig Flessel. Since graduating from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, she has illustrated numerous critically acclaimed picture books, has written 18 stories and illustrated over 100 picture books for children. Having lived on islands for all her life, Eugenie now lives and works on a small island in southern Ontario.
Reviews
"This joyful book celebrates the importance of language and taking it as your own." - Kirkus Reviews
"This biography of the poet as a young girl is a tribute not only to her literary beginnings but also to patois itself." - Booklist
"Bright illustrations in creamily vivid color by Fernandes capture the richness of life reflected in the language that so captivated Coverley and conveys how the things she sees reappear on the pages she writes." - Publishers Weekly
"Miss Lou’s sweet Jamaican patois speaks to a whole new generation." - Toronto Star
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