The Jumbies

February 9, 2015
Baptiste (Angel’s Grace) mines Caribbean folklore for her second novel. The jumbies are ancient, shape-shifting spirits living amid old-growth mahogany forests, feared and whispered about by humans. Eleven-year-old Corinne and her father, Pierre, don’t care; they live in a cottage under the forest eaves and tend the richest garden in the village, which is dominated by an orange tree planted by Corinne’s mother before her untimely death. It’s a happy household despite their loss, and Corinne’s fearless energy and can-do attitude are celebrated throughout. Her father, though, is lonely, and gradually falls under the spell of Severine, a jumbie in human disguise, embittered and seeking revenge. The storytelling pace is slow and descriptive—Baptiste takes seriously the job of familiarizing readers with what, for many, will be an unfamiliar setting and culture. It’s not until Severine appears in Pierre’s cottage, a quarter of the way through the book, that a plot begins to takes shape. What the story lacks in page-turning momentum, however, is made up for in its vivid evocation of Corinne’s island home. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marie Lamba, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Narrator Robin Miles is at home voicing characters from diverse cultural backgrounds in this spine-tingling mix of Caribbean and European folktales. Making full use of her wide vocal range and lilting intonation, Miles delivers the French dialect of the island's human characters, and twists it to fit the varied voices of the jumbies-- malevolent creatures who live in the forest. More subtly distinguished by pacing and inflection, young Corinne and her friends once thought the jumbies were invented by parents to scare kids into behaving. Upon discovering that jumbies are real, they take up the fight to keep these evil spirits from driving them off their island home. When the children learn the truth--that the jumbies were there first--they must determine how to make room for everyone, human and demon, in this deliciously macabre story. S.G. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

August 1, 2015

Gr 3-5-Eleven-year-old Corinne lives a fairly peaceful existence with her father, spending much of her time growing and selling the oranges that remind her of her late mother. That is, until an unplanned visit into the forbidden forest changes her perception of the "jumbies," which she thought were mythical creatures created by adults to scare children into behaving but which turn out to be all too real. Severine, a jumbie in disguise, loathes the humans that have taken over her island home. Corinne must stop her before Severine destroys all that she loves, especially her beloved father, Pierre. Corinne is strong and brave and with the help of her friends attempts to foil the jumbie's plans, along the way discovering the power within herself. Robin Miles's lyrical narration enhances the mood and feeling of the story. This folkloric tale will give listeners a glimpse into Haitian culture, one they don't often see in children's literature. VERDICT The strong characters and unique sitting make this a worthwhile listen.-Theresa Horn, St. Joseph County Public Library, South Bend, IN

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