Book Review: Caribbean Sun and Fun in Barbados (Miles of Adventure)

Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

An exciting educational story celebrating the exploration of new places and cultures

Miles cannot contain his excitement about his first beach day in Barbados. The sand is soft and white, and the water is as blue as a dream. But it’s not only the beauty that Miles is about to discover.

Everything feels new to him: from the games the Barbadians play to the sweets they eat and the way they say “things.” Lucky for your curious little reader, Miles is more than willing to ask questions and get answers about what he’s curious about. As he explores this beautiful island and its people, so do you. 

This would be an awesome gift for your child before you go on a Caribbean vacation with them. What a way to start a trip it could be! By reading this book, you show them that learning new things about new cultures is exciting, eye-opening, and fun. It helps that they’re exploring the vibrant, colorful, beautiful world of Barbados at the same time—meeting warmhearted people, eating delicious sugarcane, and seeing green monkeys having feasts in mango trees.

The book is broken up into eight chapters, each covering a different aspect of Barbadian life. And before each chapter, author Jamie Bright includes a discussion question you can ask your little one, like “Why do you think it’s important to care for animals?” and “Have you ever tasted something new and learned about its history?” These discussion questions add great value to this story about the excitement of learning. Not only will kids discover what Miles discovers, they’ll play an active role in perceiving things from his point of view.

This is a book about Barbados by a visiting outsider, a potentially useful gateway for other visitors, but it’s true the culture is more of a tourist’s view of it. Most of the detail and storytelling is told with great care and respect, but Miles does try on some Bajan dialect and this could be cause for caution for those parents reluctant to engage with mimicry of foreign voices. 

Caribbean Sun & Fun in Barbados is a sweet story and a thought-provoking resource for kids who are curious about other cultures. Parents will love Miles’s enthusiasm for learning as well as the active participation that is asked of their child with the discussion questions, and kids will enjoy taking the trip to this culture-rich, beautifully illustrated island in the process.

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Caribbean Sun & Fun in Barbados by Jamie Bright! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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