Author Description

It is New Year's Day and Alix and Annabelle are excited to help their Grandma Cleo make a traditional soup to celebrate the occasion. As they gather up vegetables, Grandma Cleo explains why Soup Joumou is so important to the Haitians' celebration. Grandma tells the children, that long ago, before Haiti gained its independence from France, there were many slaves in Haiti. While the free were permitted to enjoy eating Soup Joumou, they forbid the slaves from eating it. Now, those of Haitian heritage honor their ancestors who fought for freedom and the slaves who hadn't been able to eat the traditional dish which has become a symbol of their independence. Alix and Annabelle, while saddened by this story, are thrilled to invite their neighbors in their celebration. They have a great idea to share the seeds of their grandmother's joumou so that all can plant and grow their very own joumou for their traditional New Year's Day celebrations. Complete with back of the book activities, this dual language, told in English and French Creole, story provides a wonderful opportunity for all families to learn about history and other cultures and also to promote gardening to encourage nutritious cooking, healthy eating, and food sustenance.