Reviews: Under the Moon and Over the Sea

This review first appeared in Black Issues Book Review, March-April, 2003.

   This lush volume of poetry for kids ages six and up is a wonder of extremes. The poems dip into the joys and sorrows of Caribbean life and everything in between. The voices are as a varied in tone as the project itself. Over 30 poets write about their culture in more than 50 poems.

The book, divided into five sections, explores nature, the sea, food, spooky nighttime tales and immigration. Every section is illustrated by one of five artists. Each breathes life into the poems with playful and vibrant paintings that capture the mood and lyricism of the poetry.

Children's imaginations will take off while reading Under the Moon & Over the Sea. They will be transported to the islands as they read poems about dolphins, the beauty of turquoise beaches, its sweet breezes, and drinking coconut water.

Other verses express some of the more unsettling aspects of Caribbean life, such as superstitions and natural disasters. Alan Smith's poem "Emily Hurricane" humorously personifies the storm's destructive nature: "She kept singing to me/Wouldn't you like to swim in the sky,/sail with the trees as they go whizzing by, dance with the rooftops as they go bubbling?/Wouldn't you like to swim in the sky."

Edited by Guyanese poets John Agard and Grace Nichols, Under the Moon & Over the Sea is a rhythmic treasure trove of island experiences. Its lyrical patois and visuals make this book a delight to read.

By L.J.

This review first appeared in Kirkus Reviews, December 15 2002.

   A blend of sea and land, leavened with some scary creatures from folklore, served up with the local foods and fruits, and then spread to other colder parts of the globe, this anthology is a lively mix of rhythms, stories, and descriptions that illuminate the geography and culture of the region, while providing a variety of linguistic and visual delights. The poets hail mostly from the English-speakingislands and the parts of the world where Caribbean immigrants have settled. They include the two editors from Guyana, James Berry from Jamaica, Lynn Joseph from Trinidad, and many others. Short biographical notes would have been a welcome addition.

Each of the five artists, who are not necessarily associated with the Caribbean, has illustrated the poems in one of the sections of the book in very different styles. They range from Felstead's Matisse-like collages of the sea and its inhabitants that open the collection to Jane Ray's spooky renderings of the supernatural creatures of island folklore to Satoshi Kitamura's stylized, humorous people and fruits and vegetables. Traditional proverbs and rhymes are scattered throughout. There is fun to be had with Valerie Bloom's poem entitled "Guidance," in which a very proper uncle dispenses such advice as "Don' kiss yuh teeth when me talk to yuh / An' mind how yuh looking at me too" and a very sad little girl thinks: "Life is very tough for me / When Uncle Henry comes to tea." For those who enjoy the feeling of horror, the eerie "Jumbie Man," by Faustin Charles, in which the lines "Jumbie man returning red / Fire bleeding the dead; With his see-through head / Walking where angels fear to tread" is accompanied by a fearsome painting by Ray.

With poems and illustrations for many moods, this volume with its lively language and playful pictures is sure to please. (Poetry. 6-12)