First published 1999
Young Harry navigates the vibrant streets of Jamaica, where calypso rhythms drift from every corner and tropical colors paint his daily world. The boy absorbs the island's music and culture while coming of age in a place where tradition meets change. Through his eyes, readers experience the sights and sounds that shaped a future entertainer. Belafonte draws from the same well of memory that inspired his collaboration with Lord Burgess on the calypso song that shares this book's title. The story captures how a Caribbean childhood plants seeds that bloom into artistic expression. At its heart, this is about the deep connection between place and identity.
Genres: fiction, 20th-century, african-american, coming-of-age, music
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: coming-of-age, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Jamaica
Period: 20th-century
32 pages · Hardcover · Dial