New Book: ¡Perdida! Una Aventura En El Mar Caribe

¡Perdida! Una Aventura En El Mar Caribe (Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure) is one of two new picture book titles (the other being Dulce Victoria/Sweet Victory) in translation from CaribbeanReads – the first Spanish language titles from the independent publisher. Both debuted at the Miami Book Fair in November 2018. Additionally, Joanne C. Hillhouse, the Antiguan and Barbudan author of Lost!/¡Perdida!  read at the Fair, as part of a panel entitled Read Caribbean presents Adventures for Kids.

 
The book reimagines the real life tale of an Arctic seal who became stranded on a beach in Antigua and had to be rescued. It is illustrated by Trinidadian poet and artist Danielle Boodoo Fortune, and has been translated by Loudymar Lightfoot and Nneka Edwards.

Hillhouse believes that the underwater adventure, which is about making new friends and being kind to others (as well as an original tale associated environmental themes) will travel well. Since the release of the original last year, reviews have reflected the universal appeal of this Caribbean specific tale.

“This was a charming, honest narrative about friendship and adventure.," wrote blogger The Caffeinated Reviewer at Nonna’s Corner, who added that its environmental theme, “opens the door for discussions on preserving our earth and wildlife.” Over at The Feathered Quill, another book review site, ¡Perdida! Una Aventura En El Mar Caribe was described as “an enjoyable read that is sure to captivate young readers." The review also touted the fun and fascinating environmental facts.

Kirkus Reviews said “Children will likely relate well to this story of getting lost while daydreaming and to the reassurance that kindly adults will look after strays. The book also gives them a chance to learn more about the work of environmentalists and Caribbean sea life. An appealing book, all the more so for being based on real life.” 

Inspired by the real life efforts of an island to save a wandering Arctic seal, the story has delightful characters such as Dolphin and other anthropomorphic characters such as Coral, the Jellyfish. As one rescuer put it, "It was in many ways about the best of the human spirit...how a community rallied to make sure that a stranger who wandered into inhabitable (for him) territory found his way home."

Joanne C. Hillhouse (Miami Book Fair 2018)

The announcement of the Spanish edition was made by CaribbeanReads – which has also issued the book (the English version) in print, Kindle, and audio versions – in a recent newsletter. The newsletter also announced that Musical Youth, a Burt Award winning teen/young adult title, also published by CaribbeanReads, is now on the Antigua and Barbuda schools’ curriculum. Lost! is one of six books of fiction, and one of two picture books, by Joanne C. Hillhouse.

For all of Hillhouse’s books and more (including first pages of both Lost! and ¡Perdida!, visit her blog: http://jhohadli.wordpress.com

Visit the Lost! page on her publisher site at http://www.caribbeanreads.com/lost

And check out the announcement re the Lost! Spanish language edition in the CaribbeanReads newsletter https://mailchi.mp/e815cec23c95/spanish-titles-2018?fbclid=IwAR3oLIZeU_hTbtPgnmH3Bc-Aunw9vp8PSzDVMGiaDY6L64FQNlLw1iUNSok

New Book: Trapped in Dunston's Cave

CaribbeanReads Publishing is pleased to announce the publication of  

Trapped in Dunston's Cave 

Book 3 in the Caribbean Adventure Series (CAS)   

In this book, the CAS kids, Mark, Kyle, and Ingrid set off for a school trip to Trinidad's Asa Wright Nature Center with Mark's pet monkey Chee Chee, all excited and ready for adventure. However, when Kyle disappears in the rain forest, the trip turns into a dangerous encounter with poachers who are trying to steal rare oilbirds from Dunston's Cave. Can Chee Chee once again rescue the children from danger? Read the book to find out!

Author Carol Mitchell on Writing Trapped

Writing Trapped was quite an adventure for me. Shortly after the publication of Book 2 - Pirates at Port Royal, I moved to Ghana. This transition was exciting, educational and challenging. (I write about our experiences in Africa in a blog on Kittivisian Life called Obroni.) Writing while settling my family into our new home was quite difficult and this was one of the major reasons that Trapped was delayed.

An added complication was the fact that Trapped is the first book published by CaribbeanReads Publishing, a company that I established to further my dream of making publishing more accessible to writers in the Caribbean. The process of publishing a book without the middleman was an experience that brought with it a very steep learning curve.

I am very pleased to have made it through these challenges and to be able to see the end result, the publication of Trapped in Dunston's Cave.


About the Caribbean Adventure Series (CAS)

The Caribbean Adventure Series is about three children and a monkey who have exciting, magical adventures in the Caribbean. The idea behind the series is to provide Caribbean children with more books in which they can see themselves and through this to increase their love of reading.

For more information, please follow this link: http://www.caribbeanadventureseries.com/