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Tracey Baptiste
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Tracey Baptiste

I have always loved stories.
Mostly fairy tales and old family lore.
In fairy tales, things are often not what they seem.
In family lore, people are often surprising.
Both kinds of stories speak to my curiosity and sense of wonder.
So naturally, as an author,  I write about family and fantasy and history…
and sometimes, science.
My characters are brave, kind, smart, and determined.
My stories are often a lot more than they seem.

A trio of cousins discover they have powers of healing, vision, and protection from an ancient ancestor: a moko jumbie. Together, they have to use their moko magic to protect the magical community in the lead-up to the Caribbean Day Parade in Brooklyn.
A trio of cousins discover they have powers of healing, vision, and protection from an ancient ancestor: a moko jumbie. Together, they have to use their moko magic to protect the magical community in the lead-up to the Caribbean Day Parade in Brooklyn.

A trio of cousins discover they have powers of healing, vision, and protection from an ancient ancestor: a moko jumbie. Together, they have to use their moko magic to protect the magical community in the lead-up to the Caribbean Day Parade in Brooklyn.

Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos

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Ten real-life kings, queens, inventors, scholars, and visionaries who lived in Africa thousands of years ago come to life in this wonderfully researched book with beautiful illustrations by Hillary Wilson.
Ten real-life kings, queens, inventors, scholars, and visionaries who lived in Africa thousands of years ago come to life in this wonderfully researched book with beautiful illustrations by Hillary Wilson.

Ten real-life kings, queens, inventors, scholars, and visionaries who lived in Africa thousands of years ago come to life in this wonderfully researched book with beautiful illustrations by Hillary Wilson.

African Icons: Ten People who Shaped History
NEW Paperback Edition!

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Book 1 of the Jumbies series. Corinne La Mer isn’t afraid of anything--certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters made up by parents to frighten children. Then one night Corinne goes into the forbidden forest, and shining yellow eyes follow her. They couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?
Book 1 of the Jumbies series. Corinne La Mer isn’t afraid of anything--certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters made up by parents to frighten children. Then one night Corinne goes into the forbidden forest, and shining yellow eyes follow her. They couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?

Book 1 of the Jumbies series.
Corinne La Mer isn’t afraid of anything--certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters made up by parents to frighten children. Then one night Corinne goes into the forbidden forest, and shining yellow eyes follow her. They couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?

The Jumbies

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Book 2 of the Jumbies series. Corinne La Mer defeated the wicked jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven’t gone back to normal on her island home. When children begin to go missing, snatched from the beach and vanishing into wells, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne.
Book 2 of the Jumbies series. Corinne La Mer defeated the wicked jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven’t gone back to normal on her island home. When children begin to go missing, snatched from the beach and vanishing into wells, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne.

Book 2 of the Jumbies series.
Corinne La Mer defeated the wicked jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven’t gone back to normal on her island home. When children begin to go missing, snatched from the beach and vanishing into wells, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne.

Rise of the Jumbies

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Book 3 of the Jumbies series. The scariest and most heart-pounding installment of the highly praised and popular Jumbies series! Huracan summons the wind and rain and wields lightning like a sword. He doesn’t miss and he never falters. He will destroy everything in his path if he desires.
Book 3 of the Jumbies series. The scariest and most heart-pounding installment of the highly praised and popular Jumbies series! Huracan summons the wind and rain and wields lightning like a sword. He doesn’t miss and he never falters. He will destroy everything in his path if he desires.

Book 3 of the Jumbies series.
The scariest and most heart-pounding installment of the highly praised and popular Jumbies series!
Huracan summons the wind and rain and wields lightning like a sword. He doesn’t miss and he never falters. He will destroy everything in his path if he desires.

The Jumbie God’s Revenge

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"I'm looking for a jumbie, I'm gonna find a scary one!" sings Naya as she heads out into the forest looking for adventure. What will she find?
"I'm looking for a jumbie, I'm gonna find a scary one!" sings Naya as she heads out into the forest looking for adventure. What will she find?

"I'm looking for a jumbie, I'm gonna find a scary one!" sings Naya as she heads out into the forest looking for adventure. What will she find?

Looking for a Jumbie

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Glub glub… Aargh... Mermaid and Pirate don't speak the same language, but they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born.
Glub glub… Aargh... Mermaid and Pirate don't speak the same language, but they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born.

Glub glub…
Aargh...
Mermaid and Pirate don't speak the same language, but they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born.

Mermaid and Pirate

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by Tracey Baptiste

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Booklist

“Created with a pleasing palette, the illustrations have an appealing, cartoon-like simplicity…well worded and concise, the text tells the story of a friendship overcoming obstacles.”
Mermaid and Pirate

Kirkus

"Brimming with sweetness, the illustrations add a Disney aesthetic to this simple tale of the burgeoning bond between two very different friends...A winsome tale of unexpected friendship."
Mermaid and Pirate

School Library Journal

"The full-color, cartoon-style illustrations will[...]draw in readers of all ages to this raw look at history."
History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes

Kirkus

"A valuable addition to the growing swath of graphic novels drawing attention to civil rights history."
History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes

Kirkus

“This approachable biography of the young activist highlights her bravery, commitment, and vulnerability. Young readers will appreciate learning about a regular kid who did something extraordinary. . . . An engaging profile of an inspiring civil rights hero whom readers will enjoy learning about and cheering for.” (starred review)
Because Claudette

Publishers Weekly

“A powerful narrative that showcases generative energy of acts of resistance both big and small.” (starred review)
Because Claudette

School Library Journal

“A gorgeous tribute to a young Black activist that will inspire many readers. Add this to all picture book biography shelves. Luminous.” (starred review)
Because Claudette

School Library Journal

"This picture book shows readers the importance of helping people in the community and being there for them when they’re in need. A beautiful and necessary purchase that celebrates family and community."
Marley and the Family Band

L.A. Parent

"Cedella Marley’s newest children’s book [with Tracey Baptiste] contributes to the legacy of her father, Bob Marley, and showcases the power of unity and family."
Marley and the Family Band

Kirkus

“What Baptiste accomplishes in only 139 pages of narrative is near miraculous....Refreshingly free of generalizations, this impressively researched work was clearly a massive undertaking (as evidenced by the source notes)...The result is empowering, necessary, and required reading for all. Game changing.” (starred review)
African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History

Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist

“In African Icons, Baptiste engages in the hard work of unveiling the myths about the African continent to young readers . . . This is a great beginner’s guide to pre-colonial Africa.”
African Icons: Ten People Who Shaped History

Booklist

"The illustrations are colorful and dreamlike, and Ren pays special attention to accentuating the features of characters. A nice addition to offerings on being afraid of the dark, monsters, or nighttime adventures."
Looking for a Jumbie

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Illsutration of the Mermaid and Pirate characters exploring a treasure at the bottom of the ocean

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Illustrations from Mermaid and Pirate by Leisl Adams, Illustrations from Looking for a Jumbie by Amber Ren, Illustrations from The Jumbies by Vivienne To

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