Tamara Leonard in Miami with a Miami Springs Elementary School's Ms. Mercedes Pacheco’s third-grade gifted class. An interactive reading session of "Does My Belly Have a Brain?" was held.
MIAMI--St. Maarten-based TamLeo Books brought Caribbean literature to an American classroom on Tuesday, October 20, when its founder, Tamara Leonard, visited Miami Springs Elementary School as part of The Education Fund’s 2026–2027 Teach-A-Thon.
Leonard engaged students in Ms. Mercedes Pacheco’s third-grade gifted class through an interactive reading of Does My Belly Have a Brain?, followed by hands-on activities exploring intuition, integrity, kindness and thoughtful decision-making.
The visit provided an opportunity to introduce students to a story created in St. Maarten and inspired by local children, highlighting the potential for Caribbean literature to reach readers beyond the region.
Leonard said sharing a St. Maarten story with students in an American classroom was particularly meaningful, given the prevalence of American stories in classrooms on the island while she was growing up.
She described the experience as a reminder that Caribbean stories have a place beyond the region’s shores. Through TamLeo Books, Leonard aims to encourage young readers, promote Caribbean storytelling and introduce audiences to stories originating in the region.
