The Magic Callaloo
For ages 3+ (or 5+ for self-reading)
A twisted fairy tale African slavery story based on ‘Rapunzel’
By Trish Cooke, illustrated by Sophie Bass (Walker Books, 2024)
Bestselling author, Trish Cooke, of ‘So Much’ Children’s picture book fame, has penned a twisted fairy tale based on ‘Rapunzel’ to tell a story very close to her heart. ‘Rapunzel’, whose long hair helped her to escape from her captor in a tower, has always been a favourite of Trish’s, and she uses the Brothers Grimm plot together with her own African ancestry to inspire ‘The Magic Callaloo’. A wonderful Children’s non-fiction book published a couple of years ago called, ‘The Story of Afro Hair’ by K.N. Chimbiri (Scholastic, 2021) and I have to say it is an absolutely brilliant read! I had therefore heard of the incredible hairstyles that enslaved Africans would create in order to pass on secret messages about escape routes whether through corn row patterns or plaits. It’s an absolutely brilliant concept to relate the popular European fairy tale to grow awareness, sensitivity and understanding about the experience of Africans enslaved during the centuries of colonisation among a younger cohort of children.
Yes, this is a picture book - and a stunning one too thanks to the jaw-dropping illustrations by Sophie Bass, who also illustrated ‘John Agard’s Windrush Child’ (Walker Books, 2023) and has a number of Children’s books publishing this year for Tate and Macmillan… a rising star!! The artwork is alive and dances off the page with a dramatic and vibrant palette, expressive characters, creatures and scenery. The text is unlike younger picture book stories, whereby it is more a book that would be read to much younger children and perhaps might be a self-reader for children who are older than 5.
Callaloo is a leafy green nutritious vegetable which is eaten predominantly in Jamaica, but these days be people around the world who love Caribbean cuisine (including ME!). The calloloo in this story though is magical, a plant has mysteriously been growing in the middle of a little village for so long, no-one knows how it got there in the first place, but the villagers care for it every day. They do this because eating one of the leaves grants a wish, so the people have been living happy and contended lives. That is until one day when a man (a white man representing the colonisers/plantation owners) wants all the wishes for himself so steals the plant and eats all the leaves but one! He fortifies himself on his farm (plantation) and surrounds it with terrifying magical creatures, even dragons! Back in the village, a young couple want nothing more than to have a baby, but without the callaloo leaves they aren’t able to make a wish… plucking up all their courage and wrapping it in utter desperation they go to find the callaloo leaf thanks to the advice from a mysterious wise woman, and soon enough their pride and joy, a bouncing baby girl they name Lou is born… and she is born with the most luscious coils and curls.
Following the premise of the original ‘Rapunzel’ story, you won’t be surprised to learn that Lou is kidnapped and enslaved by the angry man who never found out who had taken the last callaloo leaf! Many years pass until Lou is visited by the same mysterious wise woman, and she plaits her hair in a life-saving magical pattern.
This is an incredible #ownvoices book, a story filled with song, dance, courage, and a message that sows seeds of hope.
Praise
"Master storyteller Trish Cooke is in top form with this vibrant story of community, magic, love and family that's bursting with life and colour." - Dapo Adeola
“Simply gorgeous.” - The Bookseller
Reviewed from a self-purchased hardback copy.
