The George Padmore Institute’s (GPI) children’s book Jump Up! A Story of Carnival was recently featured in an article in Books for Keeps, the UK’s leading independent online children’s book magazine. Established in 1980, Books for Keeps reviews hundreds of new children’s books each year and has published over 2,000 articles, including interviews with top children’s authors and illustrators.
The article Beyond the Secret Garden: Reading Joyfully takes a critical look at joy in children’s books. Written by Karen Sands-O'Connor and Darren Chetty, two distinguished academics in the field of diversity in children’s literature, the article points out how Jump Up! A Story of Carnival ‘helps readers to understand how Carnival is at once joyful, playful and political in nature’. Jump Up! was the second of two children’s books created by the award-winning writer and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max as part of the GPI’s Reaching New Generations series of publications for young readers. Based on Black British history preserved in the GPI’s archives, Jump Up! succeeds at capturing the joy a young Caribbean girl, Cecille, experiences as she learns about costumes and music while at the same time connecting to her family history set against a background of slavery. The book beautifully balances the joyful essence of Carnival with the young character’s personal awakening to her African heritage. The article is available to read here.
To purchase a copy of Jump Up! A Story of Carnival and the other book in the Reaching New Generations series, Dream to Change the World: The Story of John La Rose, visit the shop on the Discover page of our website. Alternatively contact us at info@georgepadmoreinstitute.org for details.
The GPI is an independent charity (1003001), it is not associated with any other organisation. We rely on grants and individual donations to continue to preserve and make available the stories of many black and Asian communities. See details below for ways to make a donation.
PayPal
Pay via PayPal to the account info@georgepadmoreinstitute.org
Bank transfer
CAF Bank Account:
Sort Code: 40 52 40
Account No: 00035060
Email info@georgepadmoreinstitute.org to confirm bank transfer.
Cheques
Make out a cheque to George Padmore Institute and post to: 76 Stroud Green Road, London N4 3EN.
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