Bridge Foundation Newsletter READ FOR THE RECORD DAY, NEWSLETTER, 2016 | Page 2

READ FOR THE RECORD DAY, 2016 MAYARO READ TO RISE
SPONSORED BY BG TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO NOW SHELL | Issue 5
2
Bridge introduces in-house writer
by Shurla Blades and
Illustrator Candice Sobers
Mr. Haawk Eagke Feast of Julia
Mangoes on the Moon book was
illustrated by the prolific contemporary
artist,Candice Sobers who is also a life
skills trainer. She holds a B.A. in Visual Arts
and a McPhil in Cultural Studies.
With Candice Sobers’ artistic support, the
Bridge Foundation works to lift the words
off the page and creates visual expressions
with students in schools to enjoy Read to
Rise books.
On Read for the Record Day, while Bridge
Ambassadors read Mr. Hawk -Eagle’s Tall
Tale, Candice painted Hawk- Eagle with a
basket filled with luscious Julie mangoes.
Candice illustrations and painting can be
viewed on the Oval Wall in Trinidad and
Tobago and her website is as follows:
http://candicesobers.blogspot.com/
Special Author
Candice emphasizes A and B.
Trinidad and Tobago author, Shurla Blades
shared her writing talents on Read for the
Record day and currently provides curriculum
support to the Bridge Foundation.
She is returning national of Trinidad and
Tobago and a child of San Juan where
growing up on her grand parents’ six acres of
land shaped and influenced her creative
expression. Shurla is also inspired by the fairy
and folktales of her childhood including
Anansi and Aesop’s Fables.
She explained that Mr. Hawk Eagle’s Feast of
Julie Mangoes on the Moon is a
contemporary and culturally relevant tale set
in San Juan, Trinidad, expressly written for the
children across the Caribbean to identify with,
relate to and at the same time feel good
about themselves. It is the imaginative
recount of a little boy’s encounter with a
hawk-eagle in his backyard during one of the
happiest times on island - mango season.
Mr. Hawk Mangoes Eagle’s Feast of Julie
Mangoes on the Moon also provides an
author ‘s appreciation of art and the love of
storytelling. Julia grew up in Arlington,
Virginia and currently lives in Brooklyn, New
York where she writes and illustrates books.
She recently received the2016 Ezra Jack
Keats Award for New Writers.
Shurla has a B.A. in English Honours and a
Masters in Creative and Media Writing from
the University of Wales. She has taught
English at both the secondary and tertiary
levels and helped schools implement reading
and writing workshops.
One Special fact about Shurla. She is an
avid traveler who has been to many places
around the world, including the Arctic !
How cool is that!
Author of Jumpstart selected book,
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia-
Sarcoma Roach
This charming picture book was
recognized for its creativity and the
author’s ability to share with humor the
role of an unreliable narrator.
The cover of The Bear Ate Your
Sandwich book shares a lot about the
opportunity for children across the rest of the
globe to experience and develop a greater
understanding of Caribbean life.
Her other children’s books include Subway
Story, The Secret Plan and Incrediblle
Inventions.
Julia’s talent is also in animation and film,
and she has recently created an award
winning film, called , “Where the Wild
Things Are .”
A BI