The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Traditional, Folklore

Source: I own a copy on my classroom shelves

I love reading folklore from around the world.  What I enjoyed almost as much as reading the book was research what Jumbies are and where they come from. I did this shortly after I started the book. I had not heard of them before. Knowing a little bit about them before I started the book made it that much better. Reading this book was a treat for the senses. The world building is so good you can visualize it. You can almost taste the oranges. You are right there with Corinne.  This is just creepy enough to pull the reader in and hold them in the world. The author surrounds the main character with other characters who have their own issues. They find themselves a lot stronger working together. This is a common theme in middle grade books.

Every culture has their “boogie man” that parents use to warn their children to be good. Children are taught about the evil Jumbies.  Corinne doesn’t believe in these magical creatures. But like all good creepy stories the main character will soon have to change their opinion.  I began this book during the evening my husband was out moving his bees. I quickly decided this was a book I needed to read during the day.  That is something that is an awesome sign for me. It means that the book is so good and creepy that I will want to get a good start real early the next morning. Each Jumbie has its own creep factor that made this so original and such a great read.  Books like this one are the reason I prefer reading middle grade fiction. This is now one of my favorite authors.