USA: Virgin Islands

Description of Figure/Doll

Hand made doll from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. She is wearing a bright colored dress and matching head scarf. Her dress has a white lace collar. Her cotton pantaloons also have lace trim, and her shoes made from lace. Her head is made from a large seed, and her arms and legs are wire. Her torso is stuffed material. She has black fiber hair and a hand painted face. Tag: “Hand Made by Gwendolyn R. Harley.” Gwendolyn is well known for preserving the culture of the Virgin Islands through her hand-sewn, softly sculptured historic dolls.

Link to higher resolution images at ClipPix

Location: Caribbean island

Capital: Charlotte Amalie

Main language: English

Currency: US dollar

Figure/Doll

Construction: straw basket covered with cloth

Height in Centimeters: 30

Height in Inches: 12

US Virgin Islands: Sea, Shells, Snorkels, Coral, and Fishermen

Reading Level: 4.40

My name is Dinah and I live in the U. S. Virgin Islands. My mother says I must have been born with gills and fins because I like to be in the water. Lucky for me, the Virgin Islands are located in the Caribbean, and the waters are crystal clear. In fact, our islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John) are the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean.

Every day, I get up and get dressed in my uniform for school. It’s very warm here, and I can easily walk to school. As soon as the last class ends, I run home and drop my books. Fruit is plentiful here, and Mom usually has some papaya, mango, or bananas ready to eat. Next, I change into my swimsuit, and grab my snorkel, mask, and fins. Then it’s off to beach with my friends.

Snorkeling in the coral reefs is like entering a new world. The fish are very colorful, with bright red, blue, and yellow spots and stripes. They swim right up to us when we are snorkeling. Being in a school with fish is a lot more fun than my regular school!

On the bottom of the ocean, the sea fans look like they are waving in a breeze. They look so beautiful among the various shapes and colors of the coral. Did you know that the corals are alive and made up of millions of tiny marine animals? There are many types of coral, including some that look like mushrooms, moose antlers, cabbages, tabletops, and wrinkled brains. It is an unbelievable world of beauty.

After we get out of the water, we always look for shells on the beach. Some of the shells have little hermit crabs in them. As the crabs grow, they simply select a bigger shell for their new “home.”

My dad is a fisherman, and he brings fish for supper. As I run home with my shells, I can’t wait to find out if we will have grouper, yellowtail, or conch today. There’s nothing better than living on an island!