K-Gr 2—A perfect tale for when it starts to get dark, featuring Naya, who is not afraid of much. This vibrant and
entertaining picture book is filled with mythical creatures from Caribbean stories, with an endearing heroine at its
center.

Trinidadian-American author Tracey Baptiste, whose middle-grade fantasy trilogy, The Jumbies, explored the world of these folkloric creatures of the Caribbean, returns to that theme in this charming picture-book. Despite being assured by her mother that jumbies are only to be found in stories, Naya sets out one night to find some, meeting a douen, a lagahoo, a soucouyant, Papa Boi and Mama D'Leau in the process. Each creature challenges her, before joining the hunt, and eventually the group find themselves back at Naya's home...

Having read and enjoyed Baptiste's fantasy novels about the jumbies, I was quite excited to discover that she had also written a picture-book on the subject, and lost no time in tracking it down. Looking for a Jumbie did not disappoint, pairing an engaging adventure story with a repetitive sing-song structure, and just the right blend of spooky and sweet appeal, with cute artwork from illustrator Amber Ren. I would love to read a more extensive collection of traditional tales featuring these and other kinds of jumbies, but Baptiste's book is a nice introduction to them, for younger audiences. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about less well-known fantastical creatures, and to anyone seeking children's books with a Caribbean cultural background. ( )