The 5-year-old Caribbean author making waves across the region

BY JONELL PANTLITZ

I had the pleasure of speaking to Coryn Clarke of Trinidad and Tobago. When this dynamic multifaceted girl was 4-years-old she became the author of Chronicles of Coryn: 7 Days of Fun. This easy-to-read picture book is the first in a series of informative and inspiring books through which the young author gives readers insight into her daily life while sharing the lessons she’s learnt along the way.

Let’s get to know Coryn, because when I first sat down to talk with this beautiful girl, she looked like the average 5-year-old until she started to speak. Then you wonder if she’s even five years of age. She is well spoken with a passion for the arts, and a love for: music, yoga, painting and ballet. She is indeed multifaceted. When she is older Coryn has dreams to become a ballerina.

Coryn’s mother Dionne Baptiste-Clarke, mentioned that one of the things she likes about her daughter is that once she is interested in something she fully commits to it.

The mom explained, “You don’t have to tell her to practice. She commits to everything and she gives it her all, she would come and ask, “Mommy, can I have music for ballet please? She sings as well, so she’ll come, mommy, can I have music to sing, please? And she would just do her thing. I know that she started taking full piano lessons with her dad. She would go on one of the keyboards and just practice without anybody telling her anything. So, once she decides she has an interest, she just commits to it.”

Now that we are acquainted with this fascinating 5-year-old, let’s talk about her book. According to Coryn’s mother, everything in the book was her daughter’s idea. She said that it all started from a show called Read To Me TT. One night they asked Coryn to read, and ever since then, she came up with the idea that she wanted to write a book. Mom never took her seriously, but Coryn kept insisting that she was going to write a book and that is exactly what she did.

Dionne revealed, “Around the 3rd of July, Coryn just pulled her table over to where I worked and she started to write. She would only stop to ask me to spell words she didn’t know, but still, I wasn’t taking her seriously until one day she asked me to read it. I realized that she was really writing. When I questioned her to find out what she was thinking she had a whole vision plan including the book launch.”

Now, this is something that you don’t hear often. According to Coryn, she has a new book releasing later this year and she’s working on the third one.

You can keep up with Coryn Clarke and learn more about her, her books and her journey on Facebook at Coryn Anaya Clarke and Instagram at Coryn Anaya.

This beautiful little girl is one to keep our eyes on.