Jean D'Costa facts for kids

Jean D'Costa (born January 13, 1937) is a famous Jamaican writer. She writes amazing books for children. She is also a language expert and a retired professor. People love her books because they mix both Jamaican Creole and Standard English.

Jean D'Costa's Early Life and School Days

Jean Constance Creary was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica. She was the youngest of three children. Her parents were both school teachers, and her father was also a Methodist minister.

Her family moved around a lot. They lived in Kingston, then St. James, and Trelawny. Jean went to different small schools in the countryside.

High School and University Education

From 1949 to 1954, Jean attended St. Hilda's High School in Brown's Town, St. Ann. She earned a special government scholarship to go there.

Later, she won another scholarship. This allowed her to study English literature and language. She went to the University College of the West Indies (now UWI, Mona) from 1955 to 1958. After that, she received yet another scholarship. This one took her to Oxford University in England. There, she earned a master's degree in literature.

Jean D'Costa's Career as a Writer and Teacher

After finishing her studies at Oxford in 1962, Jean D'Costa returned to Jamaica. She started teaching at the University College of the West Indies. She taught about old English language and how language works.

She also helped the Jamaican Ministry of Education. This was important because Jamaica had just become an independent country. She worked on different education committees to improve schools.

Writing Popular Children's Books

While teaching, Jean D'Costa kept writing stories. Her two most famous books are Sprat Morrison (published in 1972) and Escape to Last Man Peak (published in 1976). These books are used in schools all over Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Her novels are mostly for children aged 11 to 13. She also studied and wrote a lot about Jamaican Creole culture. She even created helpful guides for groups like the United States Peace Corps in Kingston.

In 1980, Jean D'Costa became a professor at Hamilton College in the United States. She taught there until 1998. Her subjects included old English, Caribbean literature, creative writing, and linguistics.

Themes in Jean D'Costa's Books

Jean D'Costa writes for young people who are almost teenagers. She understands that they need stories that connect to real life. But they also need to keep some of the fun and comfort of childhood.

To do this, she uses Jamaican folklore and old stories passed down by word of mouth. These traditions inspire the plots, ideas, and feelings in her books.

Exploring Jamaican Folklore

A big part of Caribbean folklore is "duppy stories." These are tales about ghosts or spirits that come back to visit the living. In her book Voice in the Wind, for example, D'Costa explores how children think about death and the supernatural. She also mentions stories that were traditionally told at wakes and nine-nights.

D'Costa's books paint a clear picture of Jamaica's countryside. She shows both how it was long ago and how it is today.

Language and Learning in Her Novels

Jean D'Costa often uses Jamaican Creole for conversations in her books. She mixes it with Standard English. This use of language, along with her understanding of how children learn, makes her books perfect for classroom discussions.

Sprat Morrison has been a required book for the first year of high school in Jamaica since 1972. Many teachers also assign Escape to Last Man Peak and Voice in the Wind. Students often write to D'Costa, and she enjoys visiting schools to talk with them. Her books are praised for keeping and sharing the special sounds and language of Jamaica.

Jean D'Costa's Personal Life

Jean D'Costa retired from Hamilton College in 1998. She was given the title of professor emeritus, which means she is a respected retired professor.

She married David D'Costa, who was a journalist, in 1967. They moved to Florida in 1997.

Awards and Recognition

Jean D'Costa has received several awards for her important work:

• Children's Writers Award (Jamaican Reading Association, 1976)
• Gertrude Flesh Bristol Award (Hamilton College, 1984)
• Silver Musgrave Medal (Institute of Jamaica, 1994) for her contributions to children's literature and language studies.

Selected Works

Novels and Short Stories

• Sprat Morrison (1972)
• Escape to Last Man Peak (1976)
• Voice in the Wind (1978)
• A Talent for the World (1981)
• Duppy Jamboree (1981)
• Duppy Tales (1990)
• The School that Kicked a Goal (1990)
• The Boy and the Donkey (1990)
• The Young Warriors (1990)
• The School that Kicked a Goal (2nd edition, 1990)