Josephine Against the Sea

Bourne (My Fishy Stepmom) conjures young heroes and a mean game of cricket in a roaring tale of hidden Caribbean mysticism set in Barbados. Spirited 11-year-old Josephine has grown accustomed to living with just her Guyanese fisherman father after her mother's death, but she hates the way her dad avoids mentioning her mom--or discussing cricket, the sport they all loved--and his efforts to move on by dating. Alongside her best friend Ahkai, who's on the autism spectrum and selectively nonverbal, Josephine successfully ousts each prospective partner--the latest with "operation slime"--until the arrival of mysteriously seductive Mariss, with whom her father falls in love. As the relationship deepens, Josephine notices strange household changes, including fading traces of her mother, that hint at an uncanny presence. While struggling to keep her father safe, preserve her mother's memory, and make a cricket team that she's told is only for boys, Josephine looks into a figure of Caribbean folklore. Twining fantastical elements with a steady pace and a contemporary setting, Bourne nets a relatable story of processing grief, trust in one's family and community, and Black girl magic. Ages 8-12. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (July)

Gr 3-7--Eleven-year old Black girl Josephine has one duty--protect her father. That's why she has successfully scared off all prospective girlfriends through pranks and trickery. Growing up in Barbados, Josephine thinks she's more than enough for her father and even schemes to distract him with their shared love of cricket. Things don't go according to plan and in a moment of frustration, she scratches her initials into a tree. She thinks nothing of it until her father's newest girlfriend Mariss appears and is impervious to any of Josephine's tricks. Turns out, Mariss is a River Mumma, a terrifying creature who can cause many good things to happen, but can and will easily take those things away out of spite or jealousy. Josephine and her best friend Akhai will have to figure out how to defeat Mariss, or it'll be her father who will pay the price. This novel features many references to fascinating creatures from Caribbean mythology, including the protective baccoo and the scary vampirelike soucouyant. As if those two creatures don't sound difficult enough to deal with, Josephine has to contend with what is probably the scariest of them all, the River Mumma. Josephine's determination in the face of great odds is one to be applauded, as it seems there's nothing too big for her. Josephine is not without her limitations, but she learns to do her best to overcome them, making her a character readers will want to root for every step of the way. VERDICT An entertaining read featuring many references to creatures from Caribbean mythology; sure to be a great addition to any library's middle grade collection.--Myiesha Speight, formerly at Towson Univ., Baltimore