Jumbified!

Rise of the Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Everyone has the power to be the thing they most want.

Rise of the Jumbies continues the spellbinding adventures of Corinne La Mer. Baptiste draws on rich Caribbean mythology to create this island inhabitant, daughter of a human father and a jumbie mother. Jumbie? What is a Jumbie? Jumbies, along with witches and douens are figures in Caribbean folklore. Lurking within the forest, often these spirits can be terrifying. The Jumbies is a book that will send shivers down the backs of youngsters.
I don't want to give away what happens to Corinne in the first volume, but strongly encourage you to give it a read. This gives context to the extraordinary circumstances that await Corinne and her friends in the companion story.

Attentive readers will quickly  deduce a few clues about what is in store for our intrepid heroine. First there is Corinne's last name: La Mer. Big hint there. "I feel the pull of the sea, not just because I love it, but because this is where your grand-père taught me everything I know."
Then there is the stunning cover which features an imposing mermaid with a massive tail that encircles Corinne within its scaly corkscrew. It's Mama D'Leau, a powerful jumbie who "rules the water." Corinne, daughter of a jumbie, is uniquely qualified to meet with Mama D'Leau and bargain for assistance in locating island children who have mysteriously disappeared.
Rescuing her playmates will not be an easy task.
Our brave young adventurer is heading into deep waters. Deep. Deep. Waters.
She's in an ocean full of mysterious mythological creatures including a giant squid-like monster, a water goddess, mermaids, and of course, a jumbie.
Her exploits have their share of frightful moments. One incident that made my blood run cold was the scene featuring snakes. Yes. There are snakes. Writhing snakes. Snakes. Snakes everywhere.

During her underwater travels Corinne encounters a vessel on the ocean floor. She makes a horrifying discovery when she uncovers what she assumes to be a rock. Instead Corinne has discovered chains that once enslaved the mermaids, her underwater companions. Their bodies still bear the marks left by these cruel iron bands. Recent reading of Shackles from the Deep brought these scenes to my mind with a fierce intensity. The reality of enslaved people trapped within a sinking ship is indelibly seared into my consciousness.

​"They took us."  "The captured us from our homes."  "The chained us."

Baptiste's book is also a testament to the power of friendship and affirms the enduring bonds which connect family members. "All families are connected, Corinne. It's true. We don't get to choose who we share blood with. But we do get to choose how we are with each other."

Read this book for the flavorful Caribbean setting. Read it for the fantastic mythology. Read it to meet one very brave girl. Read it if you like the thrill of a good scare. Read it to discover more about a shameful past hidden in the depths of the sea.  That's a tall order for one middle grade book, but Baptiste delivers on all counts.
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Companion Books

The  book that started it all. Read The Jumbies to learn more about Corinne, her life, her heritage, and her tremendous courage.

Shackles from the Deep: Tracing the Path of a Sunken Ship, a Bitter Past, and a Rich Legacy is Cottman's journey to learn the truth about shackles buried on the Carribean Ocean floor.