Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. August 29, 2016
- Passion is a hell of a thing. In 2012, a young Trinidad and Tobago
woman channeled her passion into the creation of a children’s book. She
had been compelled to write it, at the time having been a resident of
the United States. “I had been really homesick and my babysitting
experience at the time, also contributed to that desire to deliver
something like this. My son was born in the US after I started the book
and having him was my reason to complete it.”
“Grandpa
Take Me To T&T”- a story of one child’s heartfelt desire to
understand T&T’s culture, was a step Khamini Leston is today
extremely
proud to have taken.
As Trinidad and Tobago
celebrates its 54th Independence this year, the young author is pulling
out all stops and encouraging parents in T&T and the Caribbean by
extension, to place more emphasis on reading and patriotism.“Reading is
such a beautiful and necessary part of a child’s development. It fosters
an appreciation for language and influences creative expression as kids
grow. We’ve adapted so much to technological advancements that many
children aren’t reading books as they once did. The physical act of
picking up a book and getting engrossed in its pages is incomparable.
There’s no way a television show or a game on a Tablet can replace
that,” said Leston. She also feels that more Caribbean children need to
be taught about the cultures of their respective countries from a very
young age,explaining that patriotism can only come if there is genuine
love for country.
With just the right touch of creative visual
appeal delivered by illustrator and photographer, Zakiya Gayle, Leston’s
simple yet engaging content is appropriate for the young and
impressionable. “When the book was launched in 2012, it was well
received in the New York city area. Now, I feel it’s fitting for the
book to re-emerge, if not to fulfill my personal ambitions, to help
foster that love for reading together with love of country, that I mentioned earlier,” said the mother of one.
Available
for purchase on Amazon, at Irie Elephant in Maraval, Trinidad and even
at the Piarco International Airport’s bookstore, “Grandpa Take Me To
T&T” is the perfect keepsake for any child this Independence, or
anytime of the year. The book, which sells for $9.99USD, is also
available in soft copy format for Kindle and Apple devices.