Rediscover Caribbean Carnival Moments Through Kya Publishing's Carnival Spotlight Archive

With Toronto's Caribbean Carnival season undeway, Kya Publishing invites the community to explore its Carnival Spotlight Archive, a growing digital collection celebrating Caribbean Carnival culture, the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, and the creativity of the Caribbean diaspora.

Spanning nearly two decades, the archive brings together articles, photographs, videos, artist features, Toronto mas band profiles, cultural commentary, and historical content documenting the people, traditions, and stories that shape Carnival in Canada and beyond.

Featured resources include:

Caribbean Carnival Booklist

Selecting a Caribbean Carnival Band to Play Mas With (free downloadable guide)

Preparing Your Teenager for Caribbean Carnival (free downloadable guide)

Carnival Curves and Carnival Spotlight novels

Coverage of Toronto Carnival, Jamaica Carnival, Canadian Calypso, Carnival leadership, and community initiatives from 2007 to today.

Whether you're playing mas for the first time, reconnecting with Carnival traditions, or looking to learn more about the culture, the Carnival Spotlight Archive offers educational resources and year-round inspiration for participants, families, educators, and Carnival enthusiasts alike.

This Toronto Carnival season, celebrate the culture by exploring the stories that preserve its legacy and inspire its future.

Kya Publishing's New Chapter of "Flash Fiction" Musical Mixes

Kya Publishing's Flash Fiction Mix series, a collection of short-form multimedia storytelling experiences, is now being shared across its social media platforms. More than 150 mixes have already been created and posted on YouTube since 2024, with new pieces continuing to be added regularly.

The Flash Fiction Mix series combines original curated music selections and visual imagery sourced from footage of independent creators around the world to create bite-sized stories that explore the connections between sound and narrative. Drawing inspiration from genres that span reggae, dancehall, hip hop, pop, rock, and African and Caribbean musical traditions, the mixes celebrate storytelling without boundaries.

"Music is storytelling," says creator and writer Stacey Robinson. "Lyrics can capture a feeling, a memory, or a truth in the same way books can. I've always been fascinated by how songs from different genres and generations can convey the same message in entirely new ways."

Robinson credits concerts, DJs, and performing artists for continually inspiring her creative process.

"Live performances sharpen my listening ear," Robinson says. "Whether it's a DJ creating a set, or an artist performing on stage, there's the potential for a story unfolding in the music. The Flash Fiction Mix concept grew out of that love of listening and became another way for me to tell stories."

Robinson is also the author of the young adult novels Dancehall Rebel (2024) and Carnival Curves (2025), both published by James Lorimer & Company Ltd. These works are deeply rooted in music and culture, continuing her long-standing exploration of how culture, identity, and storytelling intersect across generations.

The Flash Fiction Mix series will continue to be shared across Kya Publishing's social media channels and can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/@KyaP_Stacey/shorts

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Kya Publishing extends gratitude to the DJs, musicians, performing artists, and independent videographers whose creativity inspires these mixes and helps bring culture and storytelling to evolving multimedia platforms.

Stacey Robinson's YA Novel "Carnival Curves" Recognized by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre

Kya Publishing is proud to celebrate exciting news for our founder, Stacey Robinson, whose young adult novel Carnival Curves has been named one of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s (CCBC) Best Books for Kids & Teens: Spring 2026.

Published in 2025 by James Lorimer & Company Ltd. (Toronto), Carnival Curves joins a national selection of Canadian books "recognized for literary excellence, strong storytelling, and meaningful appeal to young readers."

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is widely recognized as a trusted resource for discovering outstanding Canadian literature for children and youth. Through its Best Books for Kids & Teens program, expert committees of educators, booksellers, and school and public librarians from across Canada carefully select titles that demonstrate excellence in writing and illustration while engaging young readers in meaningful ways. The organization is deeply committed to ensuring Canadian children and youth see themselves reflected in the stories they read, with equity, diversity, inclusion, and representation at the centre of its work.

For Stacey, this recognition highlights the importance of authentic storytelling that reflects the lived experiences, cultures, and identities of young people in Canada.

Carnival Curves is a joyful young adult novel about self-acceptance, friendship, and cultural tradition, following two best friends as they prepare to experience their first Toronto Caribbean Carnival during the final summer before graduation. As one teen from a Nigerian-Canadian family and the other a Jamaican-Canadian prepare costumes to dance in the Carnival parad
e, they navigate body image, relationships, identity, and the uncertainties of life beyond high school.

The recognition follows Stacey Robinson’s growing work in young adult fiction with James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers (Toronto), including Dancehall Rebel (2024) and Carnival Curves (2025); we are thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Kya’s founder and the continued impact of stories that centre diverse voices and experiences.

At Kya Publishing, we believe in the transformative power of stories that foster belonging, spark imagination, and reflect the richness of our communities. We are delighted to see Carnival Curves recognized among Canada’s best new books for young readers!