Funintun’s Christmas, 2nd edition. Verna Penn Moll. Tortola, BVI: Cedar Tree Press, 2020
The original ‘Funintun’s Christmas‘ was published in 2015 and went out-of-print within nine months, leaving a few orders still unfilled. The need for a reprint became even more evident after devastating floods and storms destroyed so many libraries and books in the Virgin Islands in September 2017. The ceremony was held at the Breeze Way of the Government Administration Complex in Road Town, Tortola, on November 9, 2015.
Funintun’s Christmas embraces Virgin islands’ Christmas traditions and customs of the 1950s and before, as experienced in the family of a young girl. It seeks to expand the vocabulary of your readers by introducing new experiences; it aims to inspire the quest for deeper truths.
In this revised edition, the cover illustration has been replaced by the Inkberry, Virgin Islands traditional Christmas tree, which was popular in the 1950s and before. There is an addendum, containing reviews of the book, how the book got its name, and a background note on the Virgin Islands.
The reviews, by prominent educators Medita Wheatley, Dr. Katherine Smith, Dr. Angel Smith and Dr. Patricia Turnbull, were delivered at the original book launch. . We hope that many, if not all, of the projections made by those educators, may now become a reality.
‘Funintun’s Christmas’ is the definitive book documenting Virgin Islands Christmas tradition and customs, and should be read by youths and adults as well.
Review
“Mrs. Penn Moll, speaking to Virgin Islands News Online (VINO), said the need to document VI’s Christmas traditions became apparent, given there was a “lack of published material about the Virgin Islands, generally and particularly, about our Christmas customs.”
Inspiration for the original 2015 book
According to the author, in addition to the general lack of materials, when researching on the topic she also discovered the little that was present on the internet was ‘appallingly inaccurate.’
“I, therefore, thought that it was time to document, both to remind ourselves of our tradition, and to share our valued Christmas customs with the world,” she told VINO.
Mrs. Penn Moll said the original ‘Funintun’s Christmas’ was launched on November 9, 2015, and went out-of-print within nine months, leaving a few orders still unfilled.
“The need for a reprint became even more evident after devastating floods and storms destroyed so many libraries and books in the Virgin Islands in September 2017.”
2020 revision extras
However, instead of just doing a mere reprint, Mrs. Penn Moll said the original book has been revised to include more relevant illustrations and some extras.
“The revised book will feature four reviews from VI’s prominent educators; Medita Wheatley, Dr. Katherine Smith, Dr. Angel Smith and Dr. Patricia Turnbull, in addition to historical notes on the islands.
‘The 2nd edition also features on its cover an illustration of the Inkberry Tree, the Virgin Islands traditional Christmas tree, which was popular in the 1950s and before.” (Virgin Islands News on-line).
Contact Verna About Buying Funintun’s Christmas
Price $20.00 USC (Paperback) (New)
Other Children’s Books by Verna.