Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste...

How I Heard About It:  Several of my Twitter friends have mentioned this story in the last month or so.  I have seen it on the shelves of a couple different local bookstores.  As I was browsing the 3M Cloud Library on my iPad I saw the title again and decided to give it a try.

What It Is About:  Corinne is a young girl that isn't afraid of much.  She lives on a island with her father and shows lots of courage.  One of the biggest ways she shows this courage is by not being afraid of or believing in "Jumbies".  The "Jumbies" are supposedly creatures that live in the forest of the island.  During a visit to the local market, Corinne and three of her new friends, notice a new beautiful women that none of the islanders have seen before.  They also notice the "witch" of the island talking to her.  They aren't sure what this means, but it can't be good.  Then this stranger of a beautiful woman named Severine shows up at Corinne's home and is trying to get close to her father.  She soon finds out this woman is tied to the Jumbies and the island witch.  Corinne and her friends begin a mission to stop this woman before the entire island is taken over by her and the Jumbies.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was a great read.  I breezed through it in a just a few readings.  The story was fascinating and a bit scary.  The island feel and heritage of the people came through the pages with spirit and depth.  The writing was strong and each character brought such strength to the story.  The story really had a little bit of everything.  There were interesting characters, a mysterious and engaging plot, and lots of page-turning moments.  

Who Should Read It:  As I was reading the story, I kept thinking it would make for a great read aloud.  I think a teacher could share this book with fourth, fifth, or sixth graders.  It would definitely keep the listeners on the edge of their seats.  If a student were to read it on their own, it would be helpful if they were a strong reader in fourth grade or above.  Of course adult readers who enjoy middle-grade stories should also take the time to read this excellent novel.  Happy Reading!

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars

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