Keystone Passage: To Africa and Back

By Catherine Quinlan and Aziza Albergottie

KEYSTONE PASSAGE: TO AFRICA AND BACK is a 14 chapter middle grade book that combines time travel, African and African American culture and history. Cliff, Monty, Shandra, and Quisha's summer visit to Grandma's turned out to be more interesting than they had anticipated. An unexpected find transports

• Language: English
• Publisher: Visibility In STEM, LLC
• Release date: Aug 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781735516127

Book preview

Keystone Passage

Keystone Passage

Keystone Passage

To Africa and Back

Catherine L Quinlan

Visibility In STEM, LLC

Contents

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1 Going to Grandma's

2 Hidden Treasure

3 Follow the Light

4 Sleeping in the Cave

5 Ceremony and Dancing

6 Out of the Forest

7 Food! Food! Food!

8 After Dinner

9 Travel-Stone or Time-Stone

10 Paint

11 Luanda Port

12 Stars and Palmetto Trees

13 Judaculla Rock

14 Grandma’s Barbecue

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Copyright © 2020 by Catherine L Quinlan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Printing, 2020

DEDICATION

To my son and to all black children who grew up outside of Africa – African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, Africans. I hope you enjoy the story as you learn about science and delight in your heritage.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my son who inspired me to begin this book series. Most of all I thank my seven year old son and husband for being very patient with me as I took time away from them to write. Your enthusiasm, interest, and support helped propel this book forward

Thank you to all who took the time to support me as I wrote my first children’s book. To the Storyteller Academy who provided me with mentorship on writing children’s books and to peers at Howard University who provided me with insights into African culture and history. To friends who have been a great source of emotional support and encouragement. I am truly blessed to have all of you by my side. Thank you.

1

Going to Grandma's

C liff could not wait to get to grandma’s house. All he could think about was the freedom he would have to do whatever he wanted. Grandma was strict but she left him and his cousins alone to play outside or anywhere in the house they wanted. And though grandma forced him to eat his okra, it wasn’t as bad as when he was home, because grandma was an excellent cook. Grandma made a good okra stew mixed in with tomatoes and seafood. This was the only time Cliff actually ate his okra, when he visited grandma’s house.

This visit was special though. Summer was in and school was out in Washington, DC. Even though Cliff was going to spend some time at his grandma’s, this time Mom thought Cliff was old enough to be left on his own. She actually arranged a trip for herself while Cliff was visiting Grandma. This would be the first time Cliff was left alone without his mom supervising him. He felt so impatient about getting there that in the car he decided to make a list of things he would do. On his list he wrote: Make tent, shovels, walkie-talkie, make tables in tent, food and water, bag, bucket.

Cliff looked outside. "How many more minutes

do we have?"

We’re almost there, Cliff, said his mom.

They were only a few blocks away so Cliff put his book away and packed up so he could say goodbye to his mom and bolt out of the car.

Grandma lived in the country, right off the Southern coast on St. Helena Island, so the entire outdoors was Cliff’s playground. He could even walk to the beach with his cousins when they got there. It was not like his city home, where he had a really small backyard. Grandma’s house was surrounded by a yard as big as the world.

As they approached grandma’s house Cliff unbuckled his seatbelt.

Wait until we stop the car, his mother said.

Okay, mom. It’s stopped now, said Cliff. He bolted out of the car and ran towards the back of the house to play. He knew that his cousins would already be there, and he didn’t want to miss out on any fun.

Cliff, let’s say hello to grandma first before you go out to play, said his mom. Okay, mom, said Cliff. He did not see his cousins outside, so he ran back to say hello to his grandma.

Hi Grandma.

Hello Cliff, said Grandma. How was your ride over here?

It was okay. I thought Duante and Quisha would be here by now, said Cliff.

Montrale and Shandra are here but they are in their room unpacking. Go on upstairs and put your things away before you go out to play. I know you can’t wait to go outside

Okay, said Cliff. He took his suitcase upstairs into his usual room.

Grandma was the only one who called Monty by his full name, Montrale. Montrale was