Trinidad and Tobago playwright, poet, and screenwriter Garnet Lawrence, now based in Barbados, has achieved significant literary acclaim with his captivating work, “Anansi and the Fire Ants.” The book has been named the recipient of the esteemed 2023 Bocas Children’s Book Prize.
Head Judge Kevin Jared Hosein lauded Lawrence’s triumph, commenting, “In ‘Anansi and the Fire Ants,’ the seemingly unstoppable plague of fire ants serves as an analogy to a slowly spreading disease within the village, resembling recent global experiences. Garnet Lawrence skillfully transforms this scenario into a playful parable with a delightful cast of animal characters.”
Lawrence shared his emotional journey behind the win: “This whole thing has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. The entire process from start to finish. First of all, it wasn’t even a book in the first place, it was a public health campaign at the various schools across Tobago, and it wasn’t bought into for whatever reason, and I said this idea is too good to die, to let this seed die.” Lawrence described the concept as a divinely inspired idea that prompted him to transform it from a script into the award-winning book. He expressed profound gratitude to his wife for her invaluable contribution to the writing process.
‘Anansi and the Fire Ants’ distinguished itself in a fiercely competitive field of entries, capturing the judges’ attention with its imaginative narrative, cleverly concise dialogue, and detailed illustrations. The Bocas Children’s Book Prize is dedicated to acknowledging exceptional English-language books by Caribbean authors for readers aged 7 to 12, celebrating outstanding children’s literature that resonates within the region and beyond.
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