When a father and daughter set out on a hike in the Pitons, mountainous volcanic spires in Saint Lucia, the girl leads the way, brimming with enthusiasm and energy, her reluctant father following behind, wishing he was at home watching a soccer game. After walking a short distance, the father asks, “Are we there yet?” As they carry on, the twosome encounters steep rocks and pestering insects, and the father wonders if they should turn back. But the girl will have none of it and urges her father, “Climb on.”
After swinging on a vine and traversing a ladder made with branches attached to a steep rock face, once again the father asks, “Are we there yet?” Again, the girl encourages her dad to climb on. However, when they are near the summit, the girl is overcome with exhaustion. The father squats down in front of her and says, “Climb on!” In a gently humorous reversal of roles, the girl climbs on his back and the father leads by carrying her to the summit.
Illustrator Jacqueline Alcantara’s magnificently lively, vibrant pictures and author Baptiste Paul’s sparse, energetic text, peppered with Creole words from the Pitons, portray the wondrous creatures and landscape of Saint Lucia and the loving, comfortable relationship between a girl and her father. (NorthSouth Books)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.