A Home For Mr No-Roach

Description

A Home for Mr No-Roach is a children’s picture book. Set in rural Jamaica, the main character is a retired shoemaker named Mr No-Roach. It is the rainy season, and he is anxious to find a place for himself and his mule, Penny. She is a gift from a local man named Mr Florin. It is the 1960s. Like the Windrush generation, he leaves his wife, Mrs Florin, and children, Bissy and Nola, in rural Jamaica to find a better life abroad.

Mr No-Roach is the only Rastafarian in the village where he has no family. He loses his home during a recent hurricane and is forced to seek temporary shelter in a ruined castle that is damp and mouldy. In this picture book, the narrative and images celebrate the West African oral storytelling tradition in the Caribbean. Hence Mr No-Roach is befriended by Brer Anancy, who tries to keep him from leaving the castle by telling old time stories, especially the story of “Brer Anancy in Bird-Cherry Island”. European children’s stories are also mentioned…

The other key character is News-Bug. She is a large black beetle, and the village gossip. She loves to fly about the village eavesdropping on characters such as Queen-Bee, Mr and Mrs Mange, and Afro-Mermaid (Miriam). Upon her return to the castle, News-Bug tells Mr No-Roach the stories that she has overheard on her travels. She, like Brer Anancy, is eager to find a proper home for Mr No-Roach and Penny.

The story ends with News-Bug reminding Mr No-Roach that he has got friends in the village: the Florin family. Brer Anancy tells Mr No-Roach about his Bird-Cherry Island escape. The emphasis on Anancy story is a subversive act. In other words, the narrative hinges on remembering not to forget the stories of the past. Mr No-Roach is based on a childhood story about a bogeyman. It was said that he would kidnap naughty children at dusk if they refused to go to bed early.

Overall, the book is 32 pages and is roughly 1,000 words.