Dizzy's Walk; Marty Monster; Mum's Late; Rainbow House; Starlight; Zia the Orchestra

These six picture books published by a black publishing house, Tamarind, have been sponsored by teacher’s union NASUWT, allowing it to attract writers and illustrators of calibre. The result is books of a good professional standard,. The justification for this subsidy, no doubt, is that there is a need to preserve an authentic Caribbean perspective in children’s literature to counter balance the increasing monopoly of white mainstream publishers which produce literature for black children, often written and illustrated by white writers and illustrators. Not that these have been unwelcome or unsatisfactory in the main, but there can be subtle differences of emphasis or subject matter which justifies the existence of publishers like Tamarind.

In Dizzy’s Walk mum packs off dad and their son Jack to take the family dog, Dizzy, for a walk and to get them away from sedentary computer games. On the way Dizzy creates all kinds of mayhem upsetting tradesmen, shopkeepers and park wardens to mention a few. An amusing story reminiscent of the classic Rosie’s Walk , but with a warm human element woven into the narrative.

Mum’s Late is about an anxious child waiting to be picked up from school, but portrayed within an increasingly familiar and relevant multicultural context. The wide ethnic range of parents and children depicted should ensure that all children should find some characters in the book to closely identify with on that score, though of course young children are often colour blind.

In Marty Monster Danny and his sister June have ten minutes to play before dinner time and set off in search of the Marty Monster who will, Danny fears, also be mighty hungry. All kinds of monsters are conjured up in their childlike imaginations. The pet goldfish becomes an enormous whale, the family cat a menacing tiger, the innocent pup a vicious wolf and so on. The real Marty Monster turns out to be their sleeping dad who wakes up with a roar ... just in time for dinner. A funny, engaging story.

In Rainbow House Diandra and her mum pass an old people’s retirement home on their way from school each Monday. Diandra longs to pay a visit and gets her chance on an Open Day when her mum takes her to see the occupants. Diandra delights the old people with a book she has made and with a puzzle she has brought along for the occasion. An unlikely story perhaps but it should provide much scope for classroom discussion on the subject of the elderly and their place in society. The illustrations are beautiful – though sadly the illustrator only rates a billing on the title page.

In Starlight Rosie’s Grandma, priestess-like in her African robe and headgear, gives her a wooden hobby horse for her birthday present. Rosie names the hobby horse Starlight which is prophetic as it turns out to possess magical powers. On successive moonlit nights after she is tucked into bed with Starlight, Rosie is spirited away on magical adventures. A story about enchantment beautifully told with illustrations that perfectly matches its mystical mood.

In Zia the Orchestra , Zia eschews conventional musical instruments in her declared intent to be an orchestra in favour of household implements such as biscuit tins, pot lids, left over party blowers, yoghurt cartons attached to a connecting string and the like. A cheerful story which could provide a lead into classroom introduction to the basics of stringed, percussive and wind instruments.