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Roselle Thompson’s The New Caribbean Folktales and Legends for the 21^st Century (2018), seeks new methods of transmitting the tales, to ensure their longevity, for succeeding generations in the 21^st century.  Maintaining their didactic nature, Thompson has resurrected, and given life to the old Caribbean folktales, (with their significant wisdom, humour, colour, different language registers and thought-processes, transmission of caution, verbal defence and attempts to instil good sense), by infusing her tales with modern-day scenarios, designed to highlight the significance and existence of folk wisdom therein, that is relevant to the 21^st century.

More specifically, The New Folktales and Legends for the 21^st Century (2018), draws attention to the inter-generational strife between the older generation’s ways of thinking; the latter, whose memory and discourse is still linked to their past.  This is squared against a point of convergence amongst the younger generations, who are more ready to dismiss the tales as being irrelevant to their present existence e.g. in relation to questions of identity, a sense of place, culture, their representation, and relevance to present lifestyles. In responding to this dilemma, Roselle attempts to bridge that gap by enabling a correlation and continuation between the old and new tales, for future generations.

This book is an innovative attempt to present Caribbean folktales, transmitted as folk wisdom for centuries, to the 21st century generations, as resurrected icons with linkages that continue to shape life in the present. The book suggests there is a possible need for intervention of folk wisdom, in finding present-day solutions, in ways that ensure the continuation of Caribbean folk wisdom.