Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos - by Tracey Baptiste (Hardcover)

About the Book

When Misty moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn, she wasn't expecting to discover that she's a moko jumbie spirit, that she and her cousins all have magic, and that there's a plot to capture magical power during the annual West Indian Labor Day parade.

Book Synopsis

From the best-selling author of the Jumbies series comes a magic-and-mythology-filled novel for 8-12-year-olds that celebrates Afro-Caribbean culture and Black history

Weirdness and wonders abound in this Afro-Caribbean-inspired action-adventure novel about 3 cousins who discover they are mokos--protector spirits--during carnival season in Brooklyn

Twelve-year-old Misty and her mother have just moved from Trinidad to Brooklyn, New York, in time for the annual carnival celebrations over Labor Day weekend. Misty has plenty to deal with getting used to living with her cousins Aiden and Brooke in her new surroundings. On top of that, her mom is too busy trying to find a job and her aunts and uncles are too preoccupied with carnival preparations to pay any attention to her.

Then really strange things begin to happen. A ball of feathers in the basement turns into a creature that squeaks and rolls around. When Misty and her cousins eat pieces of mango anchar, flames shoot out of their mouths. Most disturbing of all, Misty begins to see visions of the future--scary visions that soon come true.

Misty discovers that she and her cousins come from a long line of mokos, people who have special powers meant to help them protect their community. Misty can see impending danger, Aiden can heal, and Brooke has crazy physical strength. The trio is just learning about their skills when Misty senses something watching her. And then each of the carnival events is disrupted by a different disaster. Some kind of evil force is clearly trying to stop the festivities. But why? And will moko magic be enough to save the day?

Review Quotes

Praise for Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos

*"Lively alternating third-person perspectives center immigrant and Caribbean experiences with humor and heart, culminating in an engaging mystery that emphasizes the high spirits of the festival season and its importance to the tweens' Afro-Caribbean heritage."
--Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"The power of storytelling on full, colorful, exciting display."
--Kirkus Reviews

"An exuberant homage to the culture, community, and spirit of the Caribbean."
--Booklist

About the Author

Tracey Baptiste (she/her) was born in Trinidad and lived there for fifteen years before moving to Brooklyn, New York. She is the New York Times best-selling author of Minecraft: The Crash, as well as the creepy Caribbean-inspired series the Jumbies, which includes The Jumbies, Rise of the Jumbies, and The Jumbie God's Revenge. Tracey has also written the contemporary YA novel Angel's Grace and many nonfiction books, including African Icons, which was named a Best Book of 2021 by the New York Public Library, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. Tracey, a former elementary school teacher, is on the faculty at Lesley University's Creative Writing MFA program. She lives in New Jersey. Visit her online at TraceyBaptiste.com and Instagram @TraceyBaptisteWrites.