"In this delightful history book, Ms. Melange takes her students through the tumultuous, often ignored origins and cultural impact of Haiti. Tackling their fight of independence and the country’s struggles thereafter, Fridays with Ms. Melange provides a nuanced, thoughtful look at history that celebrates Haiti’s unique culture and diverse heritage." -- publisher
After a bad school day, Sofi is transported from a New York City community garden to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and helps composer Juan Luis and artist Guerlande.
Songs about children playing in the schoolyard, sisters braiding each other's hair at the beach, and parents dancing late into the night mesh together thanks to the music. A wide array of styles--nursery rhymes from Gabon, lullabies from Cape Verde, and rumbas from the Congo--are performed in more than a dozen languages. Luminous artwork and homegrown instruments round off this wonderful celebration of history, language, and culture. Lyrics apShow Less eir original language and in English, along with notes on culture, a world map, and a code for song downloads and print-outs.
"Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter. The moment she steps off the plane, she feels a wall of heat, and familiar sights soon follow - the boys selling water ice by the pink cathedral, the tap tap buses in the busy streets, the fog and steep winding road to her aunt's home in the mountains. The girl has always loved Auntie Luce's paintings - the houses tucked into the hillside, colorful fishing boats by the water, heroes who fought for and won the country's independence. Through Haiti's colors, the girl comes to understand this place her family calls home."--|cProvided by publisher
"A young boy loses both parents as they attempt to flee Haiti for a better life, and afterward is only able to process his grief and communicate with the outside world through playing the drums. Includes author's note"-- |cProvided by publisher
"Jenika's life changed in an instant. One day she lived in the countryside with her mother and ten siblings, and the next she moved with her aunt to the city, where she was promised an education but was instead forced into a life of cooking, cleaning, and despair. The only thing that kept her going was her singing. Read this inspiring tale of a girl who overcame the odds, written by girls who understand her struggle."--Publisher
"Soraya dreams of the life she once knew: a loving mother, school, hope for the future. But now that her mother has died, her father has re-married, and her step-mother treats her as a slave, she feels alone and invisible. Until one day when she meets a little girl named Anita, who courage and sense of justice could change the course of Soraya's life. Through this story the authors issue a challenge: Could you have this courage to change a life?"- -Publisher
Tells the story of a young boy who was swept down the river and lost his family when Tropical Storm Jeanne hit Haiti in 2004 and then ended up in an orphanage where he weathered the 2010 earthquake, in a work based on actual events.
Junior tells of the games he played in his mind during the eight days he was trapped in his house after the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Includes author's note about Haitian children before the earthquake and her own children's reactions to the disaster.
As the dust settled on Port-au-Prince, hope was the last thing anybody could see. When the earth shook, his whole neighborhood disappeared. Now a boy and his mother are living in the soccer stadium, in a shelter made of tin and bedsheets, with long lines for food and water. But even with so much sorrow all around, he finds a child playing with a soccer ball made of rags. Soon many children are caught up in the magic of the game that transports them out of their bleak surroundings and into a world where anything is possible. Then the kids are given a truly wonderful gift. A soccer ball might seem simple, but really it's a powerful link between a heartbroken country's past and its hopes for the future. Jesse Joshua Watson has created an inspiring testament to the strength of the Haitian people and the promise of children.