Model-turned-author Margo Morrison focuses on joy of parenting in children’s book
Published:Friday | September 23, 2022 | 12:05 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
They say one of the greatest gifts you can give a child is love. This is the focus of Margo Morrison’s children’s book, which aims to nurture young minds.
“Children have the biggest capacity for imagination, learning and adventure. I believe that we should nurture [this] and help to keep them for as long as possible. My Happy Baby was inspired by my mother and a dear friend who had given birth to twins during the pandemic. Her babies are so happy, and it was inspiring to see how love can be manifested in a child’s well-being and development,” Morrison told Living.
The children’s book follows the journey of a happy baby who is adored by her parents. They marvel at her growth and development. And it is her parents’ love and care in providing the right environment and early childhood experiences that help her to meet her developmental milestones.
A former model, Morrison was always an avid reader and spent her teenage years falling in love with English literature. The pastime also became a great bonding activity for her and her sister. “I love to read and have always found comfort, understanding and learning in books. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood were sharing literature books with my sister and listening to my mother recount the stories of her novels,” she explained. With each book shaping her life, she was inspired to pass that positive impact down to the future generation. But, before she found her footing, she had to figure out where to start.
In search of her voice and audience, Morrison began blogging in 2018. This outlet gave her the freedom of creativity and self-expression. From there, she embarked on an even deeper exploration of the literary world. “I discovered different types of writers and the resources that supported them. It was then that I saw how becoming an author could be possible. I was also writing poetry which allowed me to be more expressive in my writing. It gave me an outlet to scribe my feelings and thoughts creatively,” the author shared.
Before she knew it, she was diving right into the waves of writing stories for children. And it was only natural because she had a connection with children, caring for them and their well-being.
GOING PUBLIC WITH HER WORK
While researching during the pandemic, she took the biggest leap of faith in going public with her work. She hasn’t looked back since. “The pandemic took away a lot of the joys of childhood for many children,” she said, adding, “I hope this book will bring some joy to families everywhere as they read with their children.”
After nine months of writing, planning and preparing, her labour of literary love was released in March of this year via Amazon. Set on the layout and structure, she opted to do things her way by going the self-publishing route. “Everyone who gave me feedback told me how much they and their children connected with the story and how beautifully illustrated it is. Of course, the babies love it,” an enthused Morrison said.
Young local, regional and international readers within the diaspora will be able to recognise and relate to the characters based on the Caribbean-centred nature of the book. From the mode of dress to the hairstyles, and naturally, the skin colour, the characters are true depictions of those who have been a source of inspiration in the author’s life.
“It was important for me that our children recognise themselves on the pages when they read and for them to connect to a sense of familiarity with the characters and the story. I hope it is translated on the pages,” she highlighted.
She has taken her advocacy for child development a step further with her outreach initiative Childhood Central. After realising that there was a gap in society regarding the development of black and Caribbean children, Morrison decided to provide that bridge for a change. “Although still in its infancy, I have big plans. I envision that the website dedicated to this cause will be a hub for information on black child development that any and everyone who cares for and is responsible for our children can go to,” she said.
As a model, she was afforded the opportunity to explore the world. Learning how life is beyond our borders and garnering all the experiences she could, Morrison was able to identify how she could leave her indelible mark. “I can see where the gaps are in our society, but equally, I can see where we excel with our children. So, I’ve been able to use my world experience to my advantage and hopefully create something that will benefit our children and families in the long term,” she remarked.