Nikhil

A surreal and creepy Haitian fairy tale with an army of monstrous creatures.

I really enjoyed this book! The folklore, originating from the Caribbean, wasn't one that I was familiar with so I really enjoyed being introduced to a new sort of fairytale. The main character was brave and cool, her friends all had distinct personalities.

Tracey Baptiste’s The Jumbies is middle grade fantasy. Corinne was taught by her father not to be afraid of the stories of monsters and strangeness in the woods, but while racing through the forest to save her mother’s locket she catches the attention of an old spirit. When the strangeness starts coming out of the woods, she must call upon the all her strengths as well as those of her friends to save herself and her village. A thrilling tale, the Jumbies is based on the classic Haitian folktale: the Magic Orange Tree. (Submitted by Meghan W).

To be fair, this is a YA book, so the plot and descriptions are for a younger audience than me. However, I found the book tedious at times.

Still, if your young person is into zombies and other such creatures, this would be a good story.

This was a great spooky tween read full of mysterious creatures, strong female characters, and the hunt to take down the Jumbies and save the village! If you like a little spooky, but not enough to keep you up at night worrying, this is a great choice!

A chiller based on Caribbean folklore steeped in the atmosphere of the setting. The roles are familiar--gutsy heroine, evil stepmother, magic pendant, dark and dangerous forest, faithful friends, largely irrelevant adults, an ambiguous witch--yet they take on new meaning and resonance due to their cultural forms. Entertaining and effective.

Corinne is a very brave girl who has to save her father from an evil spirit after she caught it's attention one day in the forest. She learns about herself, her family and what true friends really are in this fun story based on Caribbean folklore.

A wonderfully creepy tale set in Trinidad. The author grew up in Trinidad and her love for the island shows through. Most readers will not be familiar with Caribbean folklore, and that makes this story all the more exciting.

Based on Caribbean folktale elements, this a fresh and exciting tale about a girl facing down the terrible and frightening "jumbies" who live on the island. It's a good choice for middle-grade readers looking for a dramatic, fast-paced read.