Tales From The Isle Of Spice
"Tales from the Isle of Spice" presents three short stories, each with a moral lesson. These stories are about the island of Grenada (known as the Isle of Spice) in the Caribbean. The author is from the Isle of Spice and regards these stories as ones that can be retold to each generation. In the preface of the book the author states that we should enjoy the beauty around us and never give up hope. He hopes that through these stories we will believe that we are all special.
The stories are told in a "Once upon a time" fashion. I think that the stories would come to life better if they were actually read aloud or told by a storyteller. The storyteller could provide entertainment because reading the stories by themselves left me feeling not quite satisfied. For example, the stories are a bit short for a middle grade audience (9-12 year olds). Each story runs about ten pages and your child would finish the book very quickly.
The short stories have lively, interesting characters, but the common story plot structure of beginning, middle, and end seems rushed at times. The second story, "La Diablesse and the Baby", seemed to fall flat. The story ended abruptly. The tales felt a bit preachy about moral lessons, as the lesson learned would literally be stated at the end of the story.
However, the first story, "The Nutmeg Princess" was appealing and would be even better if it were told through an actual storyteller.
