MY HEART SPEAKS KRIOLU

A grandfather and grandchild call upon the smells, tastes, and sounds of their culture to reconnect with a faraway home.

Saturday walks with Papa are a tradition our young narrator cherishes. Both grandfather and grandchild have lived away from Cape Verde all their lives, but while Papa remains connected to the language, his grandchild struggles: “Kriolu won’t come out.” Still, they both fondly contemplate their homeland and its flavors, its diasporic community, its music, and the seafaring culture Papa is so proud of having been part of. Morris’ textured tissue paper collage illustrations feature bright, earthy reds that create silhouettes against the negative space as Papa and the youngster dance in full color in the foreground, providing depth and whimsy to our protagonist’s imaginings of the island home the youngster has never known. Just as the child ultimately feels a connection with Cape Verde when Papa strums his cavaquinho, playing morna (traditional Cape Verdean music featuring themes of yearning for one’s homeland), readers, too, will be deeply moved by Foster Brown’s delicate words and Morris’ enchanting art; those curious about this unique West African culture will be gratified by the author’s note, in which Foster Brown shares memories of her own grandfather, who, like Papa, had issues with his vision.

A worthy, emotionally charged reflection on home and heritage.