Author Description

The Windward Islands are a group of islands that stretch for more than 300 miles (483 km) around the southeastern end of the Caribbean Sea. This island group includes four independent countries: Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It also includes Martinique, an island governed by France. During the early 1600s, Europeans in sailing vessels arrived in the Windward Islands. (The name "Windward Islands" refers to the direction of prevailing winds encountered by ships sailing from Europe.) These Europeans eventually killed or enslaved the indigenous people they found there and established colonies to exploit the island's resources. Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were British colonies until they gained independence during the 1970s; Martinique remains an overseas department of France. Today the Windward Islands are best known for their modern resort communities and warm, sunny beaches. There's a lot to discover about the Windward Islands! Each title in this series contains color photos, maps, a chronology of events related to the country, recipes, list of festivals, ideas for projects and reports, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden