Earth Magic

Inspired by her childhood in Trinidad, acclaimed poet and writer Dionne Brand conjures the world of the Caribbean in her first book of poetry for children. The sounds and smells of market day, the blazing sun, the joyful beat of much-awaited rain and a girl who dares to do better. These are just some of the stories and characters brought into focus in this captivating collection of poems. Originally published in 1979, these poems are an eloquent, unsparing tribute to the lives of the Caribbean people and the power of nature. Simple chants and schoolyard skipping songs alongside more sophisticated poems reveal a place of beauty and hardship where life moves in harmony with the elements. With vibrant collage paintings and poignant line drawings by Eugenie Fernandes, Earth Magic will cast a spell over readers of all ages.

This extraordinary illustrated collection of poems was inspired by the poet’s childhood in Trinidad.

Karen Leggett - Children's Literature

The brilliantly colored warmth of the Caribbean flows across each page as delicious collections of words make the earth come alive: "The sky blinked, / woke up, / and might have changed its mind, / but day had come." Is there a child afraid of the dark? How comforting to think instead of day finishing, pulling "a black sheet about her. / She sits in the west corner, / lights an old pipe—it is the moon." The ordinary becomes fantastic when the river meets the sea and the "current is strong and foamy / 'Cause river wants to go to sea / but sea won't be her boat." The poetry and the illustrations are alive. Read "Rain" aloud and you will feel the drops all around you. See the old woman, quickly sketched, sitting on a newspaper, and you will sigh and feel her anguish. There are wonderful first poems to read aloud to young children and stronger images for older students or adults, who can attempt to put their own world into words or just savor the world Brand and Fernandes have created. 2006, Kids Can Press, Ages 6 up.

Acclaimed poet and novelist Dionne Brand was born in Trinidad and moved to Canada in the early 1970s. Her work has won both the Governor General's Award for Poetry and the Trillium Award for Literature. Originally published in 1979, Earth Magic was her first book of poetry for children.

Eugenie Fernandes is an award-winning picture book author and illustrator. Her many works include the Little Mouse series, Earth Magic,One Hen and Kitten's Spring. She lives in southern Ontario.