In this tropical-island desert of children's literature, Betty Peter is like an oasis in the sand.Hardly a week goes by without Betty visiting an elementary or secondary school in Trinidad where she reads her book and talks about the importance of literature to children who thirst for good Caribbean books.Betty's Brown Sugar and Spice, first published by Toute Bagai, tells young readers from eight to 13 about the adventures of Harriet, the heroine of the book, which is set in World War II.
"I tell students about rationing, torpedo attacks, the good manners of the time, the threat of German invasion–the actual events that took place during World War II. It's all told in an exciting, happy story," says Betty.
Brown Sugar and Spice is a true Caribbean chapter book for young readers seven to 14. It qualifies as a high-interest/low reading-level-book, and it's a book that adults can appreciate as well. Besides the Island Fiction series, Brown Sugar and Spice is one of the few Caribbean chapter books used in elementary schools and secondary school.
In Betty's historical novel, Harriet, a West Indian child, and her siblings, who are all named after British royalty, make their way from Grenada to St Vincent and St Lucia with their parents, who have to fulfil their duty to England.Harriet's mother is the Cracker of Codes and her father, the Master of Military Manners.Betty never thought about writing a children's book, but while her daughter was away, studying in university in England, Betty started to write letters.
"Sometimes, I just described the scene in front of the kitchen window; sometimes I described an unusual character I met. The page had to be perfect. If there was a spelling mistake, I rewrote it.I illustrated the top of each letter," she says. "One Sunday morning, I had a vision of this child climbing a rope ladder as she tried to board a warship. This little girl was so small and the ship was so big.I wrote one page and sent it away to Samantha and then my heroine, Harriet, took over my life."
Betty wanted her daughter to know about life during World War II, so Harriet's story was set during that time. Her niece, an architect, Alison Antrobus, volunteered to illustrate the book and provided the cover art and lively illustrations that make Harriet's story all the more endearing.
"I told my daughter, Samantha, 'I know you're busy so you don't have to respond to my letters.' She wrote back, 'Never stop writing, because none of my friends get letters, and every Monday morning they all come to hear your stories.'"A few years later, I had the good fortune of meeting Harriet when she still existed only in manuscript form.I was blown away by this wonderful, uplifting, story: a perfect piece of historical fiction for children.
Harriet has become a beloved friend to many young readers in this country since she first appeared in the published version in 2009, but, if you ask me, Harriet still hasn't found a way to enough schools.
"Teachers say, 'We love your book, but it's not part of the curriculum,'" says Betty. "How do schools teach creative writing without reading?...and children want to read. Some are just too poor to buy a book. Many children say they're just too busy studying for exams, but they need to read for creativity and writing skills."In spite of all of the obstacles, 75-year-old Betty never gives up pushing the message of how important reading is.
"I am passionate about literature and literacy, and I recognise how important reading is to the development of our young people. School is robbing children of a childhood joy. I'm not promoting reading as a subject, but as a joy," Betty always tells me.There is so much that could be done with developing literacy and a love for reading if more children had books. Betty thinks about that every day.
"If only companies would sponsor a class set of local children's chapter books for students–especially schools where children can't afford books–we could do so much for reading and literacy."If children don't have chapter books, and they go straight from picture books to Naipaul, that is intimidating. Reading is important in their development, or who will be there to read the great masters?"
That is the worry all authors have who dedicate themselves to writing children's books.