Jamaican-Canadian journalist debuts with children’s book — The Boy and the Honeybees

Toronto, Canada — Jamaican-Canadian journalist and writer Desmond Loren Brown makes his debut as an author of fiction with his children’s book publication, The Boy and the Honeybees.

The book shares the adventures of Marvin — a boy from the rural community of White Hall in St. Thomas parish, Jamaica — who loves to watch and play with honeybees.

Marvin’s mother knows a lot about honeybees and teaches him about their importance to the natural ecosystem and how these tiny creatures have such a mighty job — how they pollinate flowers to help plants grow and make the honey they share with us.

“It’s a children’s book that every member of the family should read and will enjoy reading,” Brown said.

“Honeybees are extremely important to the ecosystem and play an important role in food production and security. But in recent years we have been hearing and reading a lot about how millions of honeybees are being lost. I want to encourage both children and adults to do what they can to protect the honeybees.”

In addition to sharing the incredible beauty and importance of honeybees with children, Brown hopes The Boy and the Honeybees will encourage reading and learning, especially among young children in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.

“When I was growing up, there were many children and adults in my community who could not read,” Brown said.

“Reading is fun and it’s beautiful. It’s a foundation for learning. All children should be afforded the opportunity to both read and learn and I hope The Boy and the Honeybees can help play even a small part in this.”

Appeal to Caribbean families

Brown is making an appeal to Caribbean families everywhere — particularly in Canada, the United States of America and the United Kingdom — to consider gifting at least one child with a copy of The Boy and the Honeybees.

“I’d like people to get a copy of the book for their own family, whether you are living in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, or elsewhere. But I am asking you to also consider sending one or two copies to a child or children back home — whether it is your relatives, friends or even to the primary school you attended,” Brown said.

“Of course, The Boy and the Honeybees is also great for children everywhere.”

Meanwhile, Brown says he will be reaching out to a number of organizations, as well as wealthy, influential individuals to help him get copies of his book into the hands of children in the Caribbean and beyond.

“It’s my hope that organizations and individuals — especially celebrities with a Caribbean connection or who just love the Caribbean — will partner with me to send books to children in several countries,” Brown said.

He says requests will be made to get books to children in countries, including but not limited to:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

Brown invites you to join Marvin in The Boy and the Honeybees to learn how love can be shown through respect, and how you can help the honeybees too.