French Quarter:--- The Les Fruits de Mer association invites the public to celebrate the launch of a new coloring book, Soualiga Creatures. The free launch event will take place from 9 am to noon this Saturday, March 16th at Amuseum Naturalis in French Quarter. The new book spotlights the incredible insects and other little creatures of St. Martin. It will be given away for free at the launch. The event will also feature a coloring station and a craft station where kids and adults can decorate creature-themed fabric bags. The author will be present for the book signing.
Soualiga Creatures is the latest in the association’s popular Soualiga series of multi-lingual “color and learn” books for young children. Earlier books in the series include Soualiga Island, Soualiga Sea, and Soualiga Birds. Future topics planned for the series include St. Martin plants and heritage.
“Soualiga is one of the Amerindian names for St. Martin,” said author Jenn Yerkes. “English is the most common language spoken on this island. But it’s been a richly multi-lingual place for a very long time! That’s why our association makes multi-lingual books for the kids here. In the Soualiga series, everything is in English, French, Spanish and Dutch.”
Soualiga Creatures stars some of the tiniest of St. Martin’s amazing animals, especially insects. It’s a great look at the fascinating little critters that fly, crawl, glide and jump around on this island. There is a visual guide on the back cover with vivid color photos of all the featured creatures. This encourages kids to learn what they look like, and spot them in the wild. Inside, kids will find a coloring page for each creature with its name in all four languages. Each one also has a page where they can practice writing the names of the creature.
“Reading and writing are key skills for everyone. This series makes it fun to learn them by showcasing wildlife from this island that kids can see around them, or discover through the books. We hear from St. Martin educators and parents that the local topics help kids connect more with reading and writing,” said Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. “This series is especially designed to inspire kids to practice handwriting. And to give teachers a great tool to encourage their students to practice it, too!”
“With multi-lingual books, parents and family members who might speak a different language at home can participate in kids’ education,” added Jenn Yerkes. “Plus, it’s fun for everyone to learn creature names in different languages!”
The free launch event and book giveaway of Soualiga Creatures will be held at Amuseum Naturalis on Saturday, March 16th from 9am to noon, thanks to Delta Petroleum. Amuseum Naturalis is a free museum of nature and heritage located in French Quarter, St. Martin. It is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
The book is also available as a free download from http://lesfruitsdemer.com, and for purchase on amazon.com worldwide. Teachers and youth group leaders interested in copies are encouraged to contact Les Fruits de Mer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Companies, organizations or individuals interested in sponsoring copies for schools are also encouraged to contact the association.
Free printed copies of Soualiga Creatures are being given to local schools and students as part of Les Fruits de Mer’s 2024 book giveaway program.This project is supported by the Politique de la ville de Saint-Martin, implemented by the State and the Collectivité de Saint-Martin. Distribution of this book to students in Sandy Ground is supported by the Cité Éducative de Saint-Martin. Soualiga Creatures was produced with support from the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires.
