Emerald Blue

A beautiful picture book account told in the first person of a young girl's childhood on the coral Caribbean island where she lived with her brother and their beloved Grandma. That is until her mother came with stories of a new country with snow, 'tiny flakes of ice like syrup shavings, that fell from the sky in winter' and took her away over the sea. The story powerfully evokes the sweetness of the child's memories. Grandma lovingly oiling and braiding her hair, starlit evenings on the verandah, and the wild hurricane experienced as an adventure thanks to Grandma's reassuring presence. We also share the pain of separation and loss: Grandma's as she bids them farewell and the narrator's, retrospectively. The superb chalk pastel illustrations glow with the warmth and spirit of the Caribbean. I found this book deeply moving.