Growing up in Guyana, Yolanda T. Marshall dreamed of Canada where her mom was working three jobs and saving up to buy a condo, so she could bring her girls to Toronto.
As a young teen, Yolanda and her two sisters joined their mom in Toronto and attended Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute on Overlea Blvd. Yolanda gleefully reminisced about settling into her new home and community. “I felt rich! Rich because I had my own room. Rich because I had so many friends. Rich because I was immersed in a cultural soup at Marc Garneau.” And at that time, unbeknownst to Yolanda, this was where the seeds of her many future books were planted.
In early adulthood, Yolanda became a Leasider, renting her first apartment at Laird and Eglinton. She commented, “It was perfect for me. Everything was close by. The bank, Canadian Tire and the TTC delivered me downtown to my job at the Hudson Bay’s fashion-buying office. And my first book, Keman’s First Carnival, published in 2016, was written in that apartment and features children enjoying Caribbean culture, music and food.”
In addition to being an accomplished author, Yolanda is a mesmerizing storyteller. She had me fascinated with her vocal cadence and joyful animation as she relayed how her day-to-day experiences have spawned her many children’s picture books.
Her book Hot Cross Buns emerged from an Easter staple in Canada, the hot cross bun. During high school lunches, Yolanda discovered that her friends from all different cultures had their own version of the hot cross bun. The teens delighted in exchanging diverse stories of family gatherings and recipes connected to their enjoyment of this unique treat.
Another story, A Piece of Black Cake for Santa, she knew would be a hit. It was inspired by her son’s delight in a festive ritual. One Christmas when she and her young son were preparing the traditional North American treat of milk and cookies for Santa, Yolanda asked him, “What would you like to leave out for Santa?” With his eyes bright he declared, ‘I know! Let’s leave Santa black cake and sorrel drink’. I was thrilled!”
Yolanda then explained. “Black cake and sorrel drink are favourites of many Caribbean cultures. Each with their own variation.” The sorrel drink’s main ingredient is the flowers of the roselle plant, a species of hibiscus, while black cake, also known as rum cake, wedding cake and Christmas cake, combines lots of dried fruit and rum and takes days to prepare and mature.
Yolanda is now an award-winning published author of 20 inclusive and celebratory children’s books. Her most recent title, What’s in the Cookie Tin?, is an ode to a time when many households kept emptied cookie tins to store a variety of household items. In our house it was referred to as “the button box” as it was filled to the brim with buttons. In Yolanda’s house a Royal Dansk tin stored sewing supplies.
