Guides: Haitian Heritage Month: For Kids!

Learn Kreyòl!

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My Day with the Panye by Tami Charles; Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
Call Number: E CHA
In the hills above Port-au-Prince, a young girl named Fallon wants more than anything to carry a large woven basket to the market, just like her Manman. Readers who are curious about the art of carrying a panye will find more about this ancient and global practice in an author's note at the end.
A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar
Call Number: J FIC FAR
Seventh-grader Alex Schrader's life changes when he meets Bijou Doucet, a Haitian girl recently relocated to Brooklyn, and while he is determined to win her heart Alex also learns about dating rules and Haitian culture.
The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold
Call Number: J FIC ARN
In this magical middle grade novel, ten-year-old Gabrielle finds out that America isn't the perfect place she imagined when she moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. With the help of a clever witch, Gabrielle becomes the perfect American--but will she lose herself in the process? Perfect for fans of Hurricane Child and Front Desk.

The basics to learning any language starts with the alphabet and corresponding letter sounds.

Haitian Creole (or Kreyōl) is mostly based on the French language, but there are differences in how some words are pronounced and spelled.

The Magic Orange Tree by Diane Wolkstein (Retold by)
Call Number: 398.2 WOL
When Diane Wolkstein, herself a well-known storyteller, traveled throughout the Haitian countryside in search of stories, she harvested a rich collection of twenty-seven tales, each of which is illuminated by fascinating introductory notes. From orange trees growing at the command of a child to talking fish, these stories present us with a world of wonder, delight, and mystery. With a foreword by Edwidge Danticat.
Bouki Dances the Kokioko by Diane Wolkstein (Retold by); Jesse Sweetwater (Illustrator)
Call Number: J 398.2 Tur
After much coaching, Bouki wins the prize for dancing the king's secret dance but is then outwitted by his sneaky friend.
Please, Malese! by Amy MacDonald (Retold by); Emily Lisker (Illustrator)
Call Number: J 398.2 MAC
Using his tricky ways, Malese takes advantage of his neighbors, until they catch on, after which he manages to pull an even bigger trick on them.
Children of Yayoute by Francois Turenne des Pres; California Afro-American Museum Foundation, Los Angeles Staff
Call Number: J 398.2 TUR
A collection of Haitian folktales featuring magical human and animal characters, from tricksters and buffoons to dancing dolls and talking fish.

... adopted in 1904, the Haitian National Anthem, "La Dessalinienne," was named for General Jean-Jacques Dessalines; a prominent figure in the Haitian Revolution?
... the island Haiti and the Domincan Republic share is home to Liguus virgineus, commonly known as the candy cane snail?

Image Credit: Canva

... the concept of zombies originated in Haiti's traditional beliefs and are rooted in ancient African lore?

Haiti (Enchantment of the World) (Library Edition) by Liz Sonneborn
Call Number: J 972.94 SON
Readers will learn all about Haitian history and culture. They will also find out how the country is governed, what drives its economy, and more.
Open the Door to Liberty! by Anne Rockwell; R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
Call Number: J B TOUSSAIN
The island now known as Haiti was once a French colony called St. Domingue, where white plantation owners forced hundreds of thousands of African slaves to farm sugar cane. Toussaint L'Ouverture was one of those slaves . . . but not for long. The day would come when L'Ouverture would lead his island's slaves into a revolution for freedom, and his efforts would influence the course of world history.
Blades of Freedom (Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #10) by Nathan Hale
Call Number: J 741.5973 HAL
The Louisiana Purchase (1803) is today seen as one of history's greatest bargains. But why did Napoleon Bonaparte sell this seemingly prosperous territory? And what did Haiti have to do with it? Filled with wild and true facts and Hale's signature humor, the latest installment in the bestselling series takes readers on another actionpacked adventure through history.