The Jumbies

Corinne La Mer lives with her father on a Caribbean island where she tends their garden and sells oranges at the marketplace. One day she spots a mysterious woman in yellow who seems to be following her, leading Corinne to investigate local legends about jumbies - malevolent spirits from the forest that her neighbors fear but she has never believed in. The story draws from Caribbean folk traditions and mythology as Corinne discovers that jumbies are more than just stories meant to frighten children. She must work to protect her island home and loved ones when ancient magic threatens to upend her world. The Jumbies combines adventure and supernatural elements with themes of family bonds, courage, and the power of confronting fears. Baptiste reimagines traditional Haitian and Trinidad & Tobago folktales for middle-grade readers while exploring questions of belonging and identity.

Readers describe The Jumbies as a Caribbean-inspired middle grade horror/fantasy that introduces young audiences to folklore not commonly found in Western children's literature. Readers appreciated: - The fresh take on traditional Trinidadian folktales - Strong female protagonist Corinne - The creepy but not-too-scary tone for middle grade readers - Rich descriptions of the island setting - Cultural authenticity in the storytelling Common criticisms: - Pacing felt slow in the first third - Some character relationships needed more development - A few readers found the ending rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (580+ ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 Reader comments highlight the book's ability to both entertain and educate: "Finally, a scary story that draws from Caribbean culture instead of European fairy tales" and "My students were captivated by these unfamiliar monsters and wanted to learn more about Trinidad."

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🌴 Author Tracey Baptiste grew up in Trinidad, where the jumbie stories that inspired this book have been told for generations to keep children from wandering into the forest at night. 🌺 The character of Severine is based on a Caribbean folklore creature called a soucouyant—a vampiric witch who sheds her skin at night and flies through the air as a ball of fire. 🍊 The orange grove in the story reflects Trinidad's real-life history of citrus farming, which was an important part of the island's agriculture during colonial times. 🎭 The book blends multiple elements of Caribbean folklore with the structure of a classic European fairy tale, specifically "Hansel and Gretel." 🗺️ While writing the book, Baptiste consulted numerous historical documents about Trinidad's indigenous Carib and Arawak peoples to accurately represent the island's pre-colonial history.