joanne gail johnson 022010

Recently Joanne Gail Johnson, a Trinidadian children's book author and series editor for
Macmillan-Caribbean's teen series Island Fiction, visited The Oranje Elementary School
and St. Maarten Academy PSVE.

"I must confess to having something of what we call 'a Tobago love affair' with
St. Maarten when I first arrived," says Joanne. "I recognize

that I had expectations based on my travels to other Caribbean islands and now count my time in
St. Maarten as one of my best travel experiences because

this island is truly unique. It is a living social experiment with the Dutch and the French cultures
sharing the island. It inspires a lot of creative potential."

During a reading of her popular pirate book Ibis Stew? Oh, No! two children from
Oranje Elementary joined Joanne for a rousingperformance of a scene in the book.
The children displayed charisma and talent, "chanting for dog meat in the night" as a ploy to

convert the bad Captain Bad from hunting protected species into a conservationist.

The author was delighted with the level of enthusiasm and interaction as the students were fully engaged throughout.

Even the young teens at the St. Maarten Academy PSVE
who may be thought of as "too cool for school", lapped up
the dramatic reading Joanne gave of Island Fiction's
Time Swimmer, by author, Gerald Hausman. Library Clerk
Michelle Richardson-Artsen remarked,

"When she read the first chapter of this story, it totally
captivated the minds of the students.
( I have seldom seen them so quiet.)

It was wonderful. We are looking forward to making these
books available to our students.
Caribbean stories are not promoted enough and

we would like to express our sincere gratitude (for the visit)."All Joanne's Caribbean children's
books and stories ( Go Barefoot, The Scottish-Island Girl, Sally's Way, Digger's Diner, Ibis Stew? Oh,
No!, Treasure House 1 and 2 and Pink Carnival)

and all the Island Fiction teen titles (Time Swimmer, The Night of the Indigo, Delroy and the
Marog Kingdom, The Chalice Project, Escape from Silk Cotton Forest and Legend of the Swan
Children),are available for reading at the Jubilee library and for purchase through the Vandorp shops.

Authors interested in submitting manuscripts for Island Fiction may send a query
(email only) to joanne@caribbeanchildren.com

Only a short synopsis 500 words max and the first chapter are required.
The story, 45,000 to 50,000 words,

must appeal to both boys and girls 12+ to 15 years old and must be some kind of
speculative fiction/ legend/ fanatsy/ sci-fi set in and/ or inspired by the Caribbean.

Children's book authors and illustrators at any stage of
their careers are encouraged to
join the 20,000 + membership of the professional, international
society for networking and insider industry information -
see www.scbwi.org for membership and details about the
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.