SPRINGFIELD GARDENS — For Queens parishioner Karllen Lawrence, home will always be the Caribbean.
She grew up on the volcanic island of Dominica, a predominantly Catholic country known for its lush mountains, hot springs, and vibrant music scene. When she moved to Queens in 2005 after marrying her husband, Garth, she knew she wanted to keep culture alive for her future family.
Nearly two decades later, she accomplished that by writing and publishing a children’s book in 2021 called “Caribbean ABCs” — a colorful introduction to Caribbean life, food, geography, and spirit.
She says the inspiration came from her son, Brett, now a 13-year-old student at Holy Name of Mary Catholic School in Valley Stream, Long Island.
“I knew my son was going to be born here in America,” Lawrence said. “But I still wanted him to know his heritage and to feel connected to where we come from.”
When Brett was born, she began outlining the book, jotting down ideas for each letter of the alphabet. But as life moved forward, the project sat unfinished until the pandemic.
In 2020, while quarantining in Dominica, she finally had time to bring her idea to life.
“I was in isolation and said, ‘You know what? Let me give this another look,’ ” she said. “I started writing again, reaching out to friends for ideas — what could ‘A’ be, what could ‘B’ be? It all came together in this magical way.”
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Through bright, playful illustrations, “Caribbean ABCs” takes children on an alphabet journey across the islands — from “B” for Boiling Lake, a nod to Dominica’s volcanic beauty, to “R” for Reggae, the soundtrack of Caribbean pride. The book’s illustrations were created by a young artist, Manuel Olmos, the son of one of Lawrence’s friends.
Since its release in 2021, “Caribbean ABCs” has been available for purchase on Amazon and in several bookstores across the Caribbean, including Dominica, where Lawrence says local families embraced it.
Brett says he was surprised to learn the book was inspired by him.
“At first I thought she got the idea from me because I draw comic books,” he said. “Then she told me she’d been thinking about it since I was born.”
Brett spent months in Dominica during the pandemic while attending school online, saying that the quality family time there had a lasting impact on his understanding of his roots.
“I feel proud that my parents are from Dominica,” Brett said. “It’s nice knowing I come from more than one place.”
Lawrence, a parishioner at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Springfield Gardens, says her faith is central to everything she does.
“I grew up Catholic, and I can’t separate my faith from my life experience,” she said. “It’s part of who I am. It’s the foundation of our family.”
She takes Brett to church regularly and prioritized enrolling him in a Catholic school, citing the rigorous education, teacher care, and faith-filled environment.
Lawrence expanded her circle of faith by hosting rosary prayer sessions on Zoom, which are well-attended by friends of all faiths.
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“We do happy hour, but we also do rosary,” she said with a laugh. “I always say, prayer is for everyone.”
When asked what’s next in her publishing journey, Lawrence said she’s eager to work on another book about the Caribbean — likely for adults.
“My son is very creative; he’s already talking about drawing for it. I think I should explore that with him,” she said.
As a mother and writer, Lawrence said her greatest hope is that Brett and other young readers grow up knowing the richness of their roots.
“Yes, the Caribbean is known for beaches and tourism, but it’s so much more than that,” she said. “It’s about our food, our music, our stories, and even the challenges we face, like natural disasters. I want every child who reads it to learn something new about who we are.”
