AL CAMPBELL has written a book for Christmas whose purpose is a stone's throw beyond the delight it will evoke in the child who gets it.
Within the coloured pastel pages of the picture book, the story is told of Melissa who returns home with her family to grandma and grandpa's house and experiences the Christmas holidays with all the trappings of old time ways.
But, behind the food-rich (cake, sorrel, island fruits) tableau, 'A merry Jamaican Christmas' is a teacher's manual too.
Though very child friendly, it is not hard to see that the work is that of an educator. The Fun Learning Kit which comes after the story is a teaching manual that parents will find useful also. The glossary with such terms as bulla and calalloo explained, is also helpful as well, especially for those who live abroad.
Campbell has even tossed in recipes, which we are sure will get the little ones into the kitchen
But, the essential work of the book is that of relating "ole time" Jamaican Christmas, one that every child of Jamaican parentage, both at home and abroad, should know, and Campbell makes every effort to present the tale in all its local glory.
From the first chapter 'Christmas soon come' to the last 'Christmas Day', Melissa, her sister, Mom, Dad and grandma share all the delights of Christmas celebrated in the traditional way.
According to author Al Campbell, the concept for the book, Merry Jamaican Christmas, came out of the desire to "see our Jamaican children treasure the way we celebrate in the island.
"American children can sing Bing Crosby's White Christmas, while British children can read Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol... But, what about our Jamaican children?" the author asks.
"Children all over the world, including in Jamaica, should be able to treasure the beauty and vitality of their own authentic Christmas traditions. Only then will they be able to understand how Christmas celebrations differ from country to country, and they will respect each different way. Christmas doesn't have to be about Santa Claus, snow and mistletoe. It can and should also be about things that are meaningful to each community or person.
"Based on my own research," he adds, "I have found that Jamaican parents and teachers have long struggled to find relevant, and especially non-violent, entertainment for their children. The effort has grown more difficult in recent years, especially with the onset of the information age.
"The marketing power of big conglomerates such as Disney and AOLTimeWarner, cable TV, the Internet, as well as the attractiveness of the North American lifestyle to most Jamaicans all of these things combine to raise new concerns over the amount of relevant entertainment for Jamaican children, or lack of it."
The intended audience of Merry Jamaican Christmas is Jamaican parents and teachers (both in Jamaica and overseas) especially those with children ages 4-8, although the book is also appropriate for older children.
The book provides both teachers and parents with a fun way to learn about our heritage, in the hope that they will treasure it. "I hope the story reinforces pride, builds self-esteem, and encourages self-respect," Al Campbell states
Much of the book's appeal lies in the illustrations done by Pamela Mingo. Colourful and expressive, she has managed to capture the wonder and warmth of a young child's Christmas.
Ms. Mingo studied painting at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and received her B.F.A. from York University in Toronto. She has illustrated published works before, such as "The Transit of William Wales". She has also worked in the film and television industry as a set designer and doing speciality props for TV shows such as Robocop.
Campbell, himself, was born in Kellits, Clarendon, and attended Knox College and UWI, Mona, he received both a B.A. and an M.Phil in History and Social Sciences. He also possesses a Master's in Publishing from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. He worked in Government (at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for a over a decade, and also did a stint at leading educational publishers (Prentice Hall and Addison Wesley Longman) in Toronto.
He is now one of the directors of SunZone Co. Ltd, a new Jamaican publishing company which aims to produce educational children and family entertainment products for the Jamaican marketplace. Merry Jamaican Christmas is SunZone's first publication. He says that his next projects are two other picture books planned for 2003.
Avia Ustanny
