A new local children’s book, ‘The Flying Mermaid’ by Anne-Marie Diaz, is a heartwarming tale that follows the journey of a young mermaid who dreams of soaring through the sky. Through the magic of belief and perseverance, she discovers the power within herself to achieve her dreams.
“[The book] started out for my children but certainly ‘believe in [oneself]’ and persevering despite obstacles is a part of the human condition. We all doubt at times or struggle to keep going and [it’s] essential for absolutely anything, our very survival and any form of success we desire,” the author told the Cayman Compass.
For Diaz, a programme coordinator at the Family Resource Centre, the inspiration behind writing came particularly from her son.
“At the time, he would say things like ‘I can’t’ a lot and I wanted to boost his confidence. So, I made a little song about ‘Yes, I can and I will’ for him to sing to encourage him when he was little,” she said.
“We lived near the sea at the time of writing the book in 2019, and it eventually transpired into a story about a little fish eager to fly. When I became pregnant with my daughter and started illustrating, the thought of her in my belly was as if she were a little fish and I’d think of her as my little mermaid, which inspired me to make the character into a mermaid.”
The 25-page children’s book features Cayman symbols, including the national flower, a small image of a Cayman Airways plane and a booby bird.
Diaz noted, “This is truly such a magical island, especially our flora and fauna, and I am privileged to be Caymanian. I definitely wanted [the mermaid’s] environment to be Cayman in imagery.”
The story also includes a sing-along collaboration with local children’s entertainer Miss Izzy and a sticker, designed by Diaz, with the phrase ‘Yes, I Can and I Will’, printed by local artist Tiana Chin and Lazy Tide Designs.
The book’s colourful illustrations are by Vashti Harrison. The book also features an activity page for kids to draw their own dreams and goals and share their art online using #theflyingmermaid.
The book was made possible through a grant by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation. For Diaz, she learned a lot from the experience of writing the book and “went through much of what the character does”.
“Life imitates art, right? It’s taken me years to get to finally launching it. I learned what not to do, especially, and the true value of perseverance like the message in this book. I needed this story so much myself. It’s therapeutic seeing it come to full realisation. I know now how I would handle writing, illustrating and printing the next time around,” she said.
Diaz said the message of this book can be appreciated by anyone, and hopes readers will “believe in themselves and persevere. This is where their magic lies.”
Cayman’s literary talent celebrated
Diaz was among more than 15 local authors celebrated for their literary talent at the first-ever ‘Local Authors Expo’ held on 7 Dec. at the George Town Public Library.
The event showcased authors and their works, including Dr. Roy Bodden, a Caymanian history and cultural advocate; Suzy Soto, who through storytelling captures the history and culture of the Cayman Islands; and Karlene Stewart, a motivational writer known for her self-help books.
Other authors included Winston Sobers, Ivan Burges, Mike Ferrier, Lindsay Ann Fink, Sydia Shaw-Rojas, EK Jasmine (CLM Publishing), Graham Morse, Sam Oakley, Dr. Ginelle Nelson, Dianne Siebens, Melissa Bridgemohan, Derek Haines and Curtis Barnett.
Kevin Goring, acting director of libraries, told the Compass, “The CIPLS was delighted to host the first-ever ‘Local Authors Expo’ at the George Town Library this year. The expo was a wonderful opportunity for the public to meet and greet published authors, swap stories and take photos, which was fantastic promotion for the authors who appreciate the public support …
“While the attendance was impacted by the busyness of Christmas shopping and special events this time of the year, the authors and attendees expressed a keen interest in similar events in the future to enrich the culture, provide activities for families and promote literacy and lifelong learning.”
Goring confirmed the library will be re-launching the Cayman Islands Book Fair at full scale in 2025, which will “feature fun activities for families, including face painting, colouring, children’s games, storytelling and live book readings.”
The event also featured book signings, live readings from featured authors, books for purchase, a children’s activity corner and a prize raffle drawing.
‘The Flying Mermaid’ can be purchased at Goodness and Pure Art or by contacting Diaz at [email protected].
Related Videos
