Review: "Jumbies" by Tracey Baptiste

In "Jumbies" by Tracey Baptiste, children on Corinne's island know never to go into the forest, for fear of the jumbies: mythical, magical creatures who mean to do harm to humans. But when some rowdy orphaned boys steal her dead mother's necklace on All Hallow's Eve, Corinne doesn't think twice about going into the woods after it. Though she safely retrieves the necklace, a pair of yellow eyes follow here as she leaves the forest. Not long after, a mysterious stranger, Severine, appears in the village. This beautiful woman has a strange power over her father, who suddenly doesn't seem like himself. It's up to Corinne and her new friends to stop the evil enchantress who seems to have stolen her father. But Severine doesn't just have her sights on Corinne and her father. She wants the whole island. Where will they find the power to stop her? 

This beautiful, magical, and very creepy story was inspired by the jumbie stories that the author heard during her childhood in Trinidad. Older elementary students who like fairy tales and a good scare will love this Caribbean fantasy novel, but middle school students who don't mind a younger protagonist will still get a thrill, too. Click on the link above to reserve  a copy today.

--Kelly B., Prairie Commons