Windrush Child: The Tale of a Caribbean Child Who Faced a New Horizon

by John Agard, Sophie Bass (Illustrator)

Overview

Internationally acclaimed poet John Agard recalls the journey made by the thousands of Caribbean children and their families who traveled to Britain between 1948 and 1971 as part of the Windrush generation.

With one last hug, Windrush child says goodbye to his grandmother and the shores of his Caribbean home before embarking on an adventure across the ocean—under a sky full of promise—to an unknown horizon. With sensitivity and tender lyricism, world-renowned and multi-award-winning poet John Agard narrates the epic story of a child's voyage to England aboard Empire Windrush. Joyous illustrations by debut artist Sophie Bass richly evoke the changing landscapes and the uncertainty, courage, and hope of those who step into history—and travel far in search of home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536228533
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	04/11/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.06(w) x 10.94(h) x 0.32(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

John Agard is a poet, playwright, and short story writer who grew up in Guyana, where his love of language was sparked by listening to cricket commentaries on the radio. He has won many prizes, including a CLPE Poetry Award, the Queen’s Medal for Poetry, and a BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been a writer in residence at the BBC; the Southbank Centre, in London; and the National Maritime Museum, in London. He tours widely, giving performances and speaking to students. John Agard lives in England.

Sophie Bass is an illustrator of mixed British and Trinidadian heritage. Her work draws inspiration from music, social justice, mythology, and symbolism. She works by hand, employing traditional techniques with gouache and pen to create contemporary images characterized by strong figures, vivid colors, and a distinctive style. She lives and works in London.

Editorial Reviews

Agard’s 2002 poem 'Windrush Child' is paired with Bass’ vibrant gouache in this stunning picture book tribute to the Windrush Generation. Images harmoniously evoke the beauty of each lyrical stanza with stylized ripples of the ocean’s water, swirling asterisk stars, and strikingly patterned birds.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

By centering the lyrical narrative on a young child, [Agard] aptly demonstrates both the difficulties and possibilities that immigrant families encounter—one that speaks both to the Windrush story and to the immigration experience in general. Bass’ vibrant gouache-and-pen illustrations enhance the text and add to the storytelling in unique ways, making it clear that the new residents bring a valuable perspective to their new homes. . . . A poetic and colorful celebration of a specific yet universal story.
—Kirkus Reviews

Gouache and pen illustrations make an immediate impact with their use of vivid colors. . . Illustrations frequently contrast the two locations while making use of visual metaphors for migration and movement: birds, flying fish, falling stars, kites, snow. This gentle tale of migration affirms the possibility of starting anew while maintaining bonds with home and family abroad.
—The Horn Book

Stunning illustrations stand out in this gentle chronicle of immigration. . . . Bass creates a vivid backdrop of vibrant gouache and pen illustrations. . . Bass enhances the simple stanzas and helps tell the story, including through multiple wordless pages. A visually dazzling picture book that improves with each reading.
—Booklist

Poetic language with vibrant illustrations tells the story of the Windrush Generation. . . The story is of a specific group of people, but the universality of the immigrant experience is easily recognizable in the journey and acclimation to a new place. Illustrations in pen and gouache capture the vibrant scenes of the Caribbean, the journey, and the arrival in England, as well as the emotions of the characters young and old.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2023

Gr 2–4—Poetic language with vibrant illustrations tells the story of the Windrush Generation. Back matter adds further detail to the immigration story that began in 1948 when the Empire Windrush sailed from the Caribbean to Great Britain, bringing the first of thousands of immigrants who arrived between 1948 and 1971. The journey is seen through the story of one boy and his parents who make their new home in Britain while never forgetting the island and people they left behind. The story is of a specific group of people, but the universality of the immigrant experience is easily recognizable in the journey and acclimation to a new place. Illustrations in pen and gouache capture the vibrant scenes of the Caribbean, the journey, and the arrival in England, as well as the emotions of the characters young and old. VERDICT Children in the United States might not have any knowledge of the Windrush Generation and its enduring impact on British culture, but for many, the experience of leaving home and starting over in a new place will be very familiar. A recommended purchase.—John Scott

School Library Journal

2023-02-25
A small child and their family leave their Caribbean home for a new life in England.

Symbols of island life such as palm trees and seabirds swirl around to bid farewell and even question why the child and their family are going. The child remembers a promise to their grandmother to write as well as her comforting goodbye hug. Once the family arrives, the child’s letter to her shares their shipboard experience and how they are coping in their new home. After the protagonist recovers from so much time at sea, their descriptions are full of optimism as they acclimate to a new—and vastly different—land. Award-winning poet Agard depicts just one example of the journeys taken by the Windrush Generation, those who traveled by ship from Caribbean countries to Great Britain between 1948 and 1971 (the first of those voyages was on the ship Empire Windrush). By centering the lyrical narrative on a young child, he aptly demonstrates both the difficulties and possibilities that immigrant families encounter—one that speaks both to the Windrush story and to the immigration experience in general. Bass’ vibrant gouache-and-pen illustrations enhance the text and add to the storytelling in unique ways, making it clear that the new residents bring a valuable perspective to their new homes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A poetic and colorful celebration of a specific yet universal story. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews