Local educator Kyoka Gumbs, a second-grade teacher at Joseph Gomez Elementary School, has released her debut children’s book, “Kai and the Time-Traveling Lunchbox.”
The story marks the beginning of “The Adventures with Kai” series, written to reflect the lives, culture, and heritage of Virgin Islands children. In this first adventure, Kai discovers that his ordinary lunchbox holds the power to take him on incredible journeys through time.
“I wanted my students to see themselves in the pages that they read, both in the imagery and story details. So often, their stories are about faraway locations. This book immerses them in the places and cultural features that they are familiar with. I want kids to feel proud of who they are, curious about the past, and excited to see themselves in the pages of a book,” Gumbs said.
“One of the inspirations for this book was the class I taught last school year, who constantly complained about how boring some of their stories were. I wanted to create a book that would capture their attention. This included using the name ‘Kai’ because it was easy to pronounce and a name I knew they would be familiar with,” Gumbs said.
Set across iconic local landmarks including Fort Christian, Coral World, Magens Bay, and Emancipation Garden, this children’s book highlights the natural beauty and historical richness of the Virgin Islands. One of the missions of this series for Gumbs is to foster pride among local readers, with hopes of this story extending the powerful stories of Caribbean culture worldwide.
Gumbs admits the publishing process was challenging, taking nearly 10 revisions before approval. “The most unforgettable moment was holding my first draft copy in my hands and seeing my work come alive. My advice to aspiring authors is to prepare for a long, but rewarding road. There will be setbacks, but the fulfillment that comes in the end surpasses anything you could imagine,” she said.
“Kai and Time-Traveling Lunchbox” is now available on Amazon. Gumbs confirms that more adventures are on the way, noting that this is only the beginning of Kai’s journey. Readers can expect the second installation of this series to showcase new cultural traditions and locations connected to Virgin Islands heritage.
St. Croix Source
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