Dominic Grows Sweetcorn

Dominic loves eating sweetcorn-on-the-cob at his Grandparent’s house, so when he Grandad asks if he’d like to have a go at growing some, Dominic is very excited. They clear out the gardens and plant the seeds, tending to them just like Grandad used to do back in Jamaica. Grandad explains how they used to grow coffee and citrus fruits as well as the sweetcorn and tells Dominic about the animals they used to keep. Dominic learns about trading food so everyone in the village could have variety and he hopes they will be able to trade their own sweetcorn when it is grown. Grandad tells more stories about meeting Grandma Dora when she came to trade sugar cane and then how they got married and left Jamaica’s warmth to find work in a new country. Though they planned to stay only five years, Dominic’s grandparents grew a new home and they worked hard so that they could enjoy their life later on. When the corn is ready, Dominic gets a chance to do some trading just like his Grandad in Jamaica when a neighbour grows too many tomatoes.

Colourful paintings bring light and life into this story about how Dominic’s family left their Caribbean home to plant roots in a new country. The language is simple and inquisitive young minds will be fascinated by the culture of Jamaica. At its roots this story has a simple message about the rewards of working hard.