Tracy Baptiste has woven a unique retelling of "The Magic Orange Tree" fairytale with The Jumbies! I loved every second of this spooky, yet uplifting story. I loved the wide variety of creatures that Corinne and her friends encounter on their island. An island full of well developed, funny, and brave characters such as Bouki, Malik, and Dru! It was a fast paced read that kids (and adults alike) will tear through and keep them awake at night!

I've never read Caribbean mythology or folklore before so that was interesting. It was a bit of a slow starter for me. I wanted more background on the jumbies. I liked the main characters and the way their friendship grew.

Creepy adventure for middle graders! Reminds me a bit of Coraline by Neil Gaiman at times. Especially the relations between Severine and Corinne.

Corinne is a young girl who lives with her father on a small island. The is a large forest on the island where there are rumored to be monsters in the forest called Jumbies. But Corinne does not believe until she finds one in her very home! Severine is a powerful jumbie that is angry at the loss of her sister. She blames the humans.

With little men-like jumbies who kidnapped children, to fire elementals to creepy insects and witches, this book is sure to have something to give a child chills. Not per-say scary but might unnerve the young reader a bit.

The writing style seems more for a younger audience but the content I feel ups it a few grades. Please note, this is not a picture book. I actually wish it did have a couple. Would have loved to seen how the author visualized these creatures of old.

Overall a fun adventure. Loved the variety of characters for courageous Corinne, to intelligent Dru, to protective orphan brothers. It is deep enough teens and even adults can enjoy but simple enough for readers (recommended age 10+). And as a bonus, this book really left me craving some sweet oranges!

This book was a fun read. I was on the edge of my seat by the end and couldn't put it down. I am always looking for diverse books for my 4th grade classroom, and I will definitely be adding this book to my classroom library.

Corinne La Mer doesn't fear anything; not even Jumbies in the forbidden woods. Jumbies are simply made up stories that parents use to keep their children out the woods, but Corinne knows better.

But when Corinne notices yellow eyes staring at her at the edge of the woods. She begins to doubt her fearlessness. And when a beautiful stranger shows up at the marketplace and then her home with her father, Corinne knows that danger is near.

Using her courage, the help of her friends and a ancient magic, she had no idea she possessed, Corinne must save her home and everyone in it.

I really have a hard time finding good fantasy books for children (maybe YA) written by African-Americans. So, I jumped on this one purely based on the author and I wasn't disappointed. This book was written extremely well that I would even recommend it for YA readers.

Firstly, characters. You knew from beginning and end that these were children. However, you didn't feel the immaturity, even when the kids were acting a fool with each other. Corinne and her friends had a sense of wisdom about them that I didn't feel was out of place. It fit them. They were kids but not reckless children trying to prove a point.

I loved how the author seamlessly tied mythology into the story without feeling like a history lesson. It was part of the culture, part of everyone's lives and I loved how relevant it was in the beginning and end of the story. Also the author added something in there regarding history and I liked it. I was very surprised but thought it was perfect.

I enjoyed the pace of novel. However, at a certain point, the constant movement hit a plateau and I was stuck wondering if this was going to be end of my enjoyable ride. But it wasn't. The pace began to build after this point and it did well til its descent at the end. Speaking of the end, it was great but it was a hard reality to swallow. I liked how the author did not shy away from the outcome because it is true. In real life and in every fantasy story, where the hero proves to be different it happens.
Would I consider this story horror? No, there is nothing exactly scary about it (even from a kids perspective) but it is deeper than just a fantasy story. You see how much a myth or a fable affects communities/cultures no matter what the generation is.

Overall,

4 Pickles