Jean D'Costa facts for kids

Jean Constance D'Costa (born on January 13, 1937) is a famous Jamaican children's author, a linguist, and a retired professor. Her books are well-known for using both Jamaican Creole and Standard English.

Growing Up and Learning

Jean Constance Creary was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica. She was the youngest of three children. Her parents were both school teachers. After her father retired, he became an Anglican minister.

The Creary family moved to Kingston in December 1944. Jean attended Whitfield Town elementary school from 1945 to 1948. She and her siblings often spent school holidays in St. James and Trelawny.

In 1949, she went to St. Hilda's High School in Brown's Town, St. Ann. She attended as a government scholar. In 1955, she spent two important terms at St. Hugh's High School. There, she was encouraged to study English at the University College of the West Indies (UCWI).

She earned a scholarship for a bachelor's degree in English literature and language at UCWI. Later, she completed a master's degree in literature at Oxford University in England.

Teaching and Writing Adventures

After studying at Oxford, Jean D'Costa returned to Jamaica in 1962. She began teaching Old English and linguistics at the University College of the West Indies.

She also worked as an advisor for Jamaica's Ministry of Education. This was important for the newly independent country. She served on various education committees to help improve schools.

While teaching and advising, D'Costa continued to write creative stories. Her two most famous novels are Sprat Morrison (published in 1972) and Escape to Last Man Peak (published in 1976). These books are used in schools across Jamaica and the Caribbean. Her novels are mainly for children aged 11 to 13.

She also studied and wrote a lot about Jamaican Creole culture. She published helpful guides for service groups in Jamaica. This included the United States Peace Corps office in Kingston.

In 1980, 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.

Exploring Stories and Language

Jean D'Costa writes for children who are almost teenagers. She understands they need stories that feel real. But they also need to keep some of the comforting magic of childhood.

To add magic, she uses Jamaican folklore and oral traditions. These are old stories passed down by word of mouth. She uses them for her plots, themes, and the overall feel of her books.

A common part of Caribbean folklore is "duppy stories." These are tales about spirits or ghosts. In her third novel, Voice in the Wind, D'Costa explores how children think about spirits and the unknown. She also mentions stories traditionally told at special ceremonies like "wakes" and "nine-nights."

D'Costa paints a clear picture of Jamaica's countryside. She shows both how it was in the past and how it is today.

She often uses Jamaican Creole in her characters' conversations, alongside Standard English. This use of language helps children connect with the stories. It also makes her books great for classroom discussions.

Sprat Morrison has been a required book for the first year of high school in Jamaica since 1972. Escape to Last Man Peak and Voice in the Wind are also assigned by many teachers. Students have written to D'Costa, and she has visited schools to speak. Her books are praised for keeping and sharing the special rhythms and dialect of Jamaican speech.

Life Beyond Books

Jean D'Costa retired from Hamilton College in 1998. She received the title of professor emeritus. This means she kept her professor title after retiring.

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

Recognized Achievements

• Children's Writers Award (Jamaican Reading Association, 1976)
• Gertrude Flesh Bristol Award (Hamilton College, 1984)
• Silver Musgrave Medal (Institute of Jamaica, 1994) for her important work in children's literature and linguistics

Her Amazing Books

• Sprat Morrison (1972)
• Escape to Last Man Peak (1976)
• Voice in the Wind (1978)
• A Sparrow's Flight (1985)
• Jenny and the Hummingbird (1987)
• The Boy and the Donkey (2nd edition, 1990)
• Overhead the Sun (with Velma Pollard) (1989)
• Language in Exile: Three Hundred Years of Jamaican Creole (with Barbara Lalla) (1990)