Freedom Fire: Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos

Gr 3-7–Misty and her mom have just moved from Trinidad to her cousins Brooke and Aiden’s home in Brooklyn. After a series of strange occurrences, the three tweens discover they are the newest mokos (magic wielders) with special abilities that will be needed for a reason nobody can predict, and it’s all happening around carnival celebrations. With a unique magic system, and extremely interesting magical creatures and abilities, Baptiste does an excellent job of making readers feel privy to something secret and previously unknown. The centering of Afro-Caribbean mythology keeps readers eager to delve deeper into the plot. Misty’s loneliness and pain is often forgotten in the whirl of action happening around her. However, some tweens may struggle with truly connecting to the three main characters. The first half of the book feels a bit chaotic, jumping from incident to incident. Things pick up in the second half, sweeping readers up in the plot and immersing them in the mystery and magic of Baptiste’s tale.