Bonus: Author Nadine Pinede

We had so much fun talking with author Nadine Pinede about her debut YA novel-in-verse, When the Mapou Sings. Nadine is a poet, author, editor, translator, and education consultant. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Nadine is the first Rhodes scholar of Haitian descent and earned her doctorate in Philosophy of Education. When the Mapou Sings will be published by Candlewick Press on December 3rd, 2024 and has already been named a Junior Library Guild selection and a Most Anticipated Book of the Fall by Kirkus Reviews.

The novel takes place in the 1930s, just after the end of the American Occupation of Haiti. Lucille’s schooling is interrupted when she complains that her favorite Mapou tree has been cut down, which is an illegal act. To keep her safe from her village's corrupt section chief, she is sent to Port-au-Prince, where her employer hobnobs with Haitian intellectuals. Lucille eventually finds herself working for Zora Neale Hurston as she conducts her anthropological study of Haiti, Tell My Horse.  

In the interview, we discussed Pinede’s literary influences, the challenges of writing in verse, and the importance of historical context in literature. The discussion also touches on misconceptions about Haiti, the significance of food and culture in storytelling, and, of course, the significance of the Mapou tree. Pinede also highlights Zora Neale Hurston's anthropological pursuits in Haiti.

The conversation was rich with references to other books, films, and websites. We’ve attempted to link you to all of them here.  

To learn more about Nadine Pinede, please visit her website: NadinePinede.com or Instagram: @nadinepinede.

For more information on Haiti, check out her website or the Haitian Studies Association Website.

For the recording of Nadine's event with the Zora Neale Hurston Trust, please visit their Instagram page.

Books Mentioned

Haiti Noir, edited by Edwidge Danticat (includes a story by Nadine Pinede)

White Rose by Kip Wilson (another book in verse)

Haiti Fights Back: The Life and Legacy of Charlemagne Péralte by Yveline Alexis

The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer   

Brother, I’m dying By Edwidge Danticat

Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti and Jamaica by Zora Neale Hurston (anthropological study of Haiti)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (novel written while in Haiti)

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