Diana L. M. Saint Simon
When dark clouds gather over the green hills of Haiti, Lavie Belle’s walk home from school becomes an unexpected journey of courage, calm, and discovery.The rain falls heavily, thunder shakes the sky, and Lavie’s heart begins to race. But instead of letting fear take over, she pauses, breathes slowly, and remembers that kalme-calm-lives inside her. As the storm begins to soften, Lavie meets a frightened bird, a gentle goat, a curious hen, and a friendly dog. By sharing food, kindness, and mindful breaths, she helps her new friends discover calm too.Beneath a brilliant rainbow, Lavie explores the natural beauty of Haiti while introducing young readers to simple Haitian Creole words such as solèy (sun), lapli (rain), mang (mango), and kokoye (coconut). But just when the storm appears to be over, Lavie discovers a muddy school compass bearing the name Gabriel Jean-and a trail of tiny footprints leading toward the hills.Blending emotional wellness, cultural pride, gentle adventure, and the power of mindfulness, Calm & Creole: Let’s Meet Lavie Belle reminds children that fear is natural, calm can be practiced, and courage often begins with one slow breath.
