Carnival Chaos (Moko Magic #1)
by Tracey Baptiste (Author)
From the best-selling author of the Jumbies series comes an Afro-Caribbean-inspired story about three 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?
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Publishers Weekly
Three cousins come together to save the Caribbean Day Parade from dark forces in this exuberant series opener from Baptiste (the Jumbies series). Twelve-year-old Misty recently moved in with extended family in Brooklyn. Though she wants to explore, she's forced to stay indoors while her mother looks for work and the rest of the adults prepare for the upcoming carnival. Her desire for adventure is soon met when Misty and her cautious cousin Aiden find a creature made of feathers and sequins in the basement. Misty, Aiden, and their older cousin Brooke quickly learn that their family are descended from magical beings called mokos, and each generation's power is split between three people. As the cousins discover their own abilities--Brooke creates force fields, Aiden heals injuries, and Misty sees visions--they realize that their rapidly increasing magic portends disaster, and with trouble around every corner, the carnival is in jeopardy. 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. Ages 8-12. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Aug.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
ALA/Booklist
An exuberant homage to the culture, community, and spirit of the Caribbean.
Kirkus
The power of storytelling on full, colorful, exciting display.
JUV012070 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Caribbean & Latin American
New York
Magic
Cousins
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
Spirits
Parades
Novels
Ethnic festivals
West Indians
