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Invite us to your school or event for a unique immersive Haitian experience!

Emphasizing the joy of learning through reading, storytelling, singing, dancing, and artistic activities, Djenane Saint Juste's multilingual books based on Haitian and Caribbean culture promote literacy, inclusion, and diversity among young people.

Programmes Scolaires

School Programs

Bringing Culture into the Classroom 

Invite Djenane Saint Juste Books to your school or library for immersive, interactive cultural learning.

Bring Haiti’s beauty, rhythm, and storytelling traditions directly to your students through multilingual readings, dance, drumming, singing, and hands-on cultural activities.
Programs are joyful, inclusive, and developmentally adapted for PreK–12.

Each session is:
✔ Interactive
✔ Inclusive
✔ Multilingual
✔ Culturally rooted
✔ Aligned with literacy, arts, and social-emotional learning

Programs are available in person or virtually, with fully customizable options.

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Core Offerings

  • Multilingual Children’s Books in Haitian Creole, French, English, and Spanish.

  • Educational Programs for schools and libraries—Read-A-Thon, Author Visits, From Page to Stage, and Konbit workshops.

  • Professional Development for educators integrating multicultural content into classrooms.

  • Cultural Partnerships with museums, festivals, and community organizations.

Apporter la Culture en Classe

Invitez Djenane Saint Juste Books dans votre école ou bibliothèque pour une expérience culturelle immersive et interactive. Offrez à vos élèves la beauté, le rythme et les traditions du conte haïtien à travers des lectures multilingues, de la danse, du tambour, du chant et des activités culturelles pratiques.
Les programmes sont joyeux, inclusifs et adaptés au développement des élèves de la maternelle à la 12ᵉ année.

Chaque séance est :
✔ Interactive
✔ Inclusive
✔ Multilingue
✔ Ancrée culturellement
✔ Alignée avec la littératie, les arts et l’apprentissage socioémotionnel

Les programmes sont offerts en personne ou virtuellement, avec des options entièrement personnalisables.

Why Schools Love These Programs

Integrating multilingual, culturally rooted stories into classrooms helps:​

  • Build empathy, cultural pride, and representation

  • Strengthen literacy in multilingual learners and English-language learners

  • Engage multiple learning styles through rhythm, dance, movement, and visual arts

  • Encourage creativity and interdisciplinary thinking

  • Foster global citizenship grounded in respect and heritage

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Educators frequently describe these programs as transformative, joyful, and unforgettable.

Pourquoi les écoles aiment ces programmes

L’intégration d’histoires multilingues et culturellement enracinées aide à :​

  • développer l’empathie, la fierté culturelle et la représentation

  • renforcer la littératie chez les élèves multilingues et apprenant l’anglais

  • engager divers styles d’apprentissage grâce au rythme, à la danse, au mouvement et aux arts visuels

  • encourager la créativité et les liens interdisciplinaires

  • promouvoir une citoyenneté mondiale fondée sur le respect et l’héritage culturel

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Les éducateurs décrivent souvent ces programmes comme transformateurs, joyeux et inoubliables.

School and Library Programs

Inviting Djenane Saint Juste to Your School

Schools, libraries, and cultural institutions can bring the joyful, dynamic programs of Djenane Saint Juste Books directly to their students. Whether offered in person or virtually, each session inspires curiosity, confidence, and cultural appreciation through the magic of storytelling, rhythm, and movement.

All programs are interactive, inclusive, and adaptable for PreK–12, blending literacy, dance, drumming, singing, and Haitian cultural storytelling to create a vibrant learning experience. haïtiens pour créer une expérience d’apprentissage vivante.

Check out this article about the Normandale Elementary school visit

Programmes scolaires et pour bibliothèques

Inviter Djenane Saint Juste dans votre établissement

Les écoles, bibliothèques et institutions culturelles peuvent accueillir les programmes dynamiques de Djenane Saint Juste Books directement au sein de leurs communautés. Qu’elles soient offertes en personne ou virtuellement, chaque séance stimule la curiosité, la confiance et l’appréciation culturelle grâce à la magie du conte, du rythme et du mouvement.

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Tous les programmes sont interactifs, inclusifs et adaptables de la maternelle à la 12ᵉ année, mélangeant littératie, danse, tambour, chant et contes haïtiens pour créer une expérience d’apprentissage vivante.

Read-A-Thon: The Joy of Reading Across Cultures

Duration: 30 minutes

A lively introduction to multilingual storytelling. Students meet the author, listen to a short reading, learn a simple song in Haitian Creole, and explore how books connect languages, cultures, and imagination.

Perfect for school-wide literacy events, assemblies, and library programs.
 

Read-A-Thon : La joie de lire à travers les cultures

Durée : 30 minutes
Une séance de lecture multilingue vivante conçue pour encourager les élèves à explorer des livres dans plusieurs langues et cultures.
Djenane lit ses histoires, partage une chanson simple en créole haïtien et invite les jeunes lecteurs à découvrir le plaisir des auteurs multilingues et des récits du monde.

Author Visit: A Cultural Celebration of Literacy

Duration: 30–60 minutes
A dynamic session where Djenane reads from her books, shares behind-the-scenes stories of Lasirèn ak Labalèn and Ti Sonson, and leads rhythmic or movement activities in Haitian Creole and French. Includes optional Q&A, book signing, or mini dance/music activity.

Perfect for classrooms, cultural days, and multilingual literacy weeks.

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Rencontre d’Autrice : Une célébration culturelle de la lecture

Durée : 30–60 minutes
Une séance dynamique où Djenane lit ses livres, partage les coulisses de Lasirèn ak Labalèn et Ti Sonson, et guide une activité rythmique ou de mouvement en créole haïtien et en français. Inclut une période de questions, une signature de livres, ou une mini-activité de danse/musique.

Idéal pour : classes, journées culturelles, semaines de littératie multilingue.

From Page to Stage: A Storytelling Workshop

Duration: 5–15 Day Residency

Students bring Djenane’s stories to life by transforming them into a short performance. Throughout the residency, they explore vocabulary, characters, movement, rhythm, and visual expression — turning reading comprehension into creativity, expression, and artistic confidence.
With guidance from Djenane and Fofo, students rehearse scenes, learn simple staging, and build storytelling skills that strengthen literacy and teamwork.

What Students Experience

  • Story adaptation & dramatic interpretation

  • Vocabulary building through character creation

  • Movement, rhythm, and simple choreography

  • Collaborative script writing or scene development

  • A final performance for families or the school community

 

Perfect for:
Arts residencies · Classrooms · After-school programs · Cultural festivals
Great for literacy, performing arts, SEL, and community-building.

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De la Page à la Scène — Atelier de Mise en Contes

Durée : Résidence de 5 à 15 jours

Les élèves donnent vie aux histoires de Djenane en les adaptant en petite performance. Tout au long de la résidence, ils explorent vocabulaire, personnages, mouvement, rythme et expression visuelle — transformant la compréhension de lecture en créativité et confiance artistique.
Guidés par Djenane et Fofo, les élèves répètent des scènes, apprennent la mise en scène de base et développent des compétences essentielles en littératie et en travail d’équipe.

 

Ce que les élèves vivent

  • Adaptation de conte & interprétation dramatique

  • Enrichissement du vocabulaire par la création de personnages

  • Mouvement, rythme et chorégraphie simple

  • Écriture collaborative ou création de scènes

  • Présentation finale pour les familles ou l’école

 

Idéal pour : 

résidences artistiques · classes · programmes parascolaires · festivals culturels
Parfait pour la littératie, les arts de la scène, le développement socioémotionnel et la cohésion communautaire.

Konbit: Building Together Through Culture

Duration: 5–15 Day Residency

 

Inspired by the Haitian tradition of konbit — a community coming together to work, create, and support one another — this residency invites students into a vibrant exploration of rhythm, creativity, and cultural pride.

Students learn through hands-on experiences: music, dance, craft-making, storytelling, and collective creation. Each activity is rooted in Haitian heritage and adapted for PreK–12 classrooms.

 

 

What Students Learn & Experience:

Rhythm & Music

  • Introduction to tanbou (Haitian drums)

  • Learn the basic traditional rhythms

  • Explore how rhythm connects to language, teamwork, and daily life

Movement & Dance

  • Learn a choreography inspired by traditional Haitian dances

  • Discover how movement communicates emotion, story, and history

Cultural Craftsmanship

  • Learn how to sew their own valiz, a traditional Haitian craft item

  • Connect craftsmanship to identity, family history, and creativity

Cultural Living

  • Learn how to make Haitian limonad (demonstration or guided recipe activity)

  • Discuss food, family traditions, and ancestral knowledge

Storytelling & Community Work

  • Explore Haitian stories, proverbs, oral traditions, and character lessons

  • Engage in konbit-inspired group projects that build unity and teamwork

  • Create collaborative art, music, or performance pieces

Final Presentation

The residency concludes with a student-led cultural showcase — including music, movement, storytelling, or an art exhibit — celebrating learning, gratitude, and community.

 

Perfect For

Social studies · Art & music programs · Multicultural events · School-wide cultural initiatives
Ideal for building community, leadership, global citizenship, and cultural pride.

 

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Konbit : Construire Ensemble par la Culture

Durée : Résidence de 5 à 15 jours

 

Inspiré de la tradition haïtienne du konbit — une communauté qui se rassemble pour travailler, créer et s’entraider — ce programme invite les élèves à explorer le rythme, la créativité et la fierté culturelle.

Les élèves apprennent par des expériences pratiques : musique, danse, artisanat, conte, et création collective. Chaque activité s’ancre dans l’héritage haïtien et s’adapte à tous les niveaux scolaires.

Rythme & Musique

  • Introduction au tanbou (tambour haïtien)

  • Apprentissage des rythmes traditionnels de base

  • Découverte du lien entre rythme, langage, collaboration et vie quotidienne

Mouvement & Danse

  • Apprentissage d’une chorégraphie inspirée des danses traditionnelles haïtiennes

  • Compréhension du rôle du mouvement dans l’émotion, l’histoire et la narration

Artisanat Culturel

  • Apprentissage de la couture d’une valiz, un objet artisanal traditionnel haïtien

  • Découverte d’objets culturels tels que valiz, bag, et autres artefacts narratifs

  • Lien entre artisanat, identité, histoire familiale et créativité

Vie Culturelle

  • Apprentissage de la préparation de la limonad haïtienne (démonstration ou recette guidée)

  • Discussions sur l’alimentation, les traditions familiales et la mémoire ancestrale

Conte & Travail Communautaire

  • Exploration de contes haïtiens, proverbes, traditions orales et leçons de caractère

  • Projets collaboratifs inspirés du konbit renforçant l’unité et le leadership

  • Création d’œuvres collectives : art, musique ou performance

Présentation Finale

La résidence se termine par une présentation culturelle dirigée par les élèves — musique, danse, conte ou exposition artistique — célébrant l’apprentissage, la gratitude et la communauté.

 

Idéal pour :

sciences humaines · arts visuels et musicaux · semaines multiculturelles · initiatives scolaires globales
Parfait pour développer communauté, leadership, citoyenneté mondiale et fierté culturelle.

Order books

Bring authentic Haitian stories into your classroom with Djenane Saint Juste’s multilingual children’s books:
Lasirèn ak Labalèn |  The Mermaid and the Whale and
Ti Sonson ak Pouvwa Tanbou | And the Power of the Drum.

Rooted in genuine cultural representation, each book includes text in English, Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish, along with songs, rhythm activities, and storytelling elements that engage students of all ages. These stories build literacy, confidence, and cultural curiosity while encouraging conversations about identity and diversity.

 

Pricing

Bulk school orders, classroom sets, and educator packages are available upon request.

 

Easy Ordering for Schools

Order directly through the website.
Curriculum guides and tailored lesson support can be added, along with optional virtual or in-person workshops for teachers and students.

 

Why These Books Matter

Multilingual, culturally rooted books help:

  • validate student identity and representation

  • support literacy in multilingual and ESL learners

  • build empathy, curiosity, and global awareness

  • strengthen cross-cultural understanding and creativity

These stories bring rhythm, joy, and authentic Haitian heritage into every classroom.

A woman holding a book and CD

Commander les livres

Apportez des histoires haïtiennes authentiques dans votre salle de classe grâce aux livres multilingues de Djenane Saint Juste :
Lasirèn ak Labalèn / The Mermaid and the Whale et
Ti Sonson ak Pouvwa Tanbou / And the Power of the Drum.

Chaque livre offre une représentation culturelle fidèle, avec du texte en anglais, créole haïtien, français et espagnol, ainsi que des chansons, activités rythmiques et éléments narratifs engageants.
Ces histoires renforcent la littératie, la confiance et la curiosité culturelle, tout en ouvrant des discussions sur l’identité et la diversité.

 

Tarification

Des commandes scolaires en lot, des ensembles pour classes et des forfaits éducateurs sont disponibles sur demande.

 

Commande facile pour les écoles

Passez commande directement sur le site web.
Des guides pédagogiques et un accompagnement personnalisé peuvent être ajoutés, ainsi que des ateliers virtuels ou en personne pour enseignants et élèves.

 

Pourquoi ces livres sont importants

Les livres multilingues et culturellement enracinés permettent de :

  • valoriser l’identité et la représentation des élèves ;

  • soutenir la littératie chez les apprenants multilingues et ESL ;

  • développer l’empathie, la curiosité et l’ouverture au monde ;

  • renforcer la compréhension interculturelle et la créativité.

Ces récits apportent le rythme, la joie et l’héritage authentique d’Haïti dans chaque classe.

Classroom crafting

What Educators Are Saying

Djenane St. Juste’s presentation was a truly enriching experience for educators across all levels… Her method of connecting rhythm, vocabulary, and repetition in storytelling not only makes learning fun but also helps students develop their language skills in a natural and enjoyable way.

 Corina Pastrana, M.Ed., Minnesota Reading Association

Our students and staff enjoyed every single minute! You do such a lovely job sharing your culture while also establishing a welcoming and inviting community for everyone involved.

Emmi Hackbarth, Wiltshire Park Elementary

It was an absolute joy to have Djenane visit our classroom and share her remarkable talents with us. She brought a beautiful and authentic experience of Haitian culture to life, enriching our students in ways that will resonate long after her visit.

Melissa Vega Mayerle, Groveland Elementary, Minnetonka Public Schools

Planning your visit

Plan

Think about your curriculum needs and how Djenane might best support your goals. Check with your school librarian, media specialist, or literacy specialist first. Invite them to plan with your team. Also include your school’s administration to make sure you have approval and know your school or district’s policies regarding author visits. 

 

Funds

Does your school have funding readily available, or are you in the process to apply for external grants or donations? Be sure to consider financial logistics. For example, does your district require a specific contract, or will your school be able to use the author’s contract? Will you need to involve the literacy or finance department?  Do visiting authors need to be registered as vendors in order to receive payment?  Find out what your school’s budget allows and the timeframe for the payment. Remember that a minimum of 30% of payment is due five days before events and the 70% reminder the day of the program or no later that no longer than five days after the program. Payments can be made via check or on the website.

 

Contact

Once you’ve have your goals, your plan, your team and the funds, reach out to us by responding to the questions below:

  • What type of program you’re hoping for (topic of presentation)

  • Ideal date ranges (keep in mind holiday, testing schedules, and school drills)

  • In-person or virtual visit

  • Time (School day or family evening/weekend event)

  • Location of your school (Parking situation /sign in and sign out policy)

  • Number of presentations (full day visit of 3-4 presentations, half day visit of 2 presentations, one assembly for an entire grade, one school-wide assembly?)

  • Audience (Pre-K, K-12, Family event)/ How many classrooms? How many participants?

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Before the visit

When you and the author have agreed on specifics for the visit, you will let her know dates, presentation expectations, platform (if virtual), recording agreements (can you make a video recording, are photos allowed?), and payment information (preferably in a contract).  It will also be important to let the author know:

  • The schedule of the day, including lunch and transition time so author can prepare between groups

  • Logistics for parking and entering the building (where to check in, get a badge, get a flat cart for moving equipment, etc.)

  • What equipment you have available and the Wifi password as well as the logins for virtual presentations.

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You will need to find out:

  • The author’s  presentation needs (podium, table, chairs, microphone, projector, speakers, etc)

  • Any health concerns

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Prepare

Add the visit to your school calendar and inform all staff as well as organizations like the PTA.  Consider notifying local media as well. 

  • READ and discuss the author’s books with students! This will lay the foundation for a deep experience and maximize the time students have with the author.  

  • Consider building excitement by creating a Countdown Timeline in the hallway. 

  • If you’d like students to have the opportunity to get a signed book, check our website to create student book orders, or to arrange same-day book sales so the author can sign them on site, or in advance. 

  • Determine the locations and equipment needs for the author’s presentation.

  • If the visit is virtual, make sure to schedule and test using the platform with the author before the visit.

  • Have students research the author and/or consult the author’s teacher/student materials.

  • Have students develop questions for the author. 

  • Promote the visit! Perhaps invite classrooms or art classes to make posters. Notify families through emails, flyers, robocalls, etc. with details about the visit. Create Welcome signs for the author or door displays or other arts and crafts based on the author’s books. 

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The Visit

Arrange to have someone greet the author and bring her to the presentation space. 
Make sure:

  • The author has a secure space to put their coat, bags, etc. and a quiet spot if in the building all day. 

  • Technology devices are set up and ready.

  • The author has water.

  • Teachers have students in place before presentations and stay with their students for the duration.

  • The author is notified of any hallway bells or announcements that might occur during the presentation.

  • The author knows any useful behavior signals, such as a school wide ‘quiet’ sign.

  • Students are reminded of respectful behavior rules and the author is properly introduced.

  • Students ask their questions.

  • Everyone enjoys the presentation!

  • The author is thanked and receives payment.  

kids drumming

Press & Reviews

“Once you meet Djenane and Fofo you will never forget them. They are like the sun – so bright and beautiful.”
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