From the Islands to the World
Centering Caribbean Nations in Global Children's Literature
Meet Nichelle Nadine 'Shurla' James St.Helen
Caribbean Children's Author. Educator. Founder of the 27-Island Literary Series
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Nichelle James St.Helen is a Caribbean children’s author committed to centering island stories in global literature.
'Shurla' is one of her given names - at the heart of the series.
In every book, you'll meet Shurla.
And in Shurla, you'll meet Nichelle.
Her storytelling is shaped by the rhythm of steelpan, the strength of Carnival, the wisdom of elders, and the landscapes that have formed generations of island dreamers.
As a young reader, she noticed something missing.
Caribbean children were everywhere, yet their islands were rarely centered in the books they read.
Over time, she felt the absence.
That silence became her calling.
Through the Let’s Tour the Caribbean series, Nichelle is developing a pioneering 27-island children’s literary collection devoted entirely to the nations of the Caribbean.
Her work blends early childhood education with lyrical storytelling, strengthening literacy while affirming identity.
Each book is researched with care and a deep understanding of lived culture, honoring every island not as a postcard but as a nation with a rich legacy.
Her Mission
To center Caribbean identity in children’s literature and to place island stories on the global stage.
In Her Own Words
“I write the stories I wish I had more of growing up, stories where our islands are not side notes but center stage.
I want Caribbean children to feel proud when they say where they are from. To stand taller. To know that their accent, their rhythm, and their heritage are not small.
Small islands carry big stories.
And the world deserves to hear them. Lehwego.”