Carnival Chaos [Moko Magic]
by Tracey Baptiste
Intermediate    Freedom Fire/Disney    400 pp.
8/24    9781368074377    $17.99

It’s the summer before sixth grade, and Misty and her mother have recently moved from Trinidad to live with family in Brooklyn. Despite Misty’s outgoing and determined nature, she feels like an outsider, attempting to adapt to her new environment and missing her old home, particularly with her father still in Trinidad due to visa issues. One day, while searching for craft supplies in the basement, Misty and her cousin Aidan stumble upon a magical entity made from sequins, feathers, and other assorted materials. The discovery surprises the children but is less startling to the adults, who reveal that their family descends from a lineage of mokos: healers, protectors, and seers with special powers to safeguard their community. As the next generation of mokos, Misty, Aidan, and their cousin Brooke are assigned the duty of protecting the Brooklyn Carnival. Their new roles are soon challenged by a mysterious force threatening both the celebration and those who celebrate it. Baptiste’s fast-paced narrative skillfully blends humor, history, and heart. Readers familiar with her Jumbies series and other works rich in Caribbean lore will find this story both entertaining and resonant, celebrating family, community, history, and the power of storytelling.

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.