The middle grade horror debut from USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard in which a girl stays with her grandmother in Trinidad for the summer and discovers that she comes from a long line of witches.Thirteen-year-old Darika Lovelace is in big trouble. The kind of trouble that means she’s being sent off to her grandmother in the Caribbean. She should be grateful, but instead she’s angry. Angry at her dad and step-mom for sending her away for an entire summer. Angry at her mom who went away and never came back.
But the island is definitely not what she remembers! The minute she steps off the plane, strange things start happening, including being stalked by a baby iguana. When she meets a ragtag group of children on her Granny’s estate, she knows they are not what they seem, but after they promise to take her to her long-lost mom, she leaps at the chance.
Thrust into an incredible adventure involving strange monsters, a supernatural silk cotton tree, and a mysterious maze, soon the truth about her unique magical roots comes to light. She’s the island’s only hope, but unless she learns to believe in magic, all will be lost.
On sale: February 4, 2025
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 3-7
Page count: 304 Pages
ISBN: 9780593645901
Reading level: Lexile: 730L | Fountas/Pinnell: Z
AMALIE HOWARD is a
USA Today and
Publishers Weekly bestselling author of historical romance, including
The Beast of Beswick,
The Rakehell of Roth, and
Always Be My Duchess, and has penned several critically acclaimed young adult novels. She is an AAPI, Caribbean-born writer whose work has been featured in publications such as
Entertainment Weekly and
Oprah Daily. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading; being the president of her one-woman Harley Davidson motorcycle club, #WriteOrDie; or power-napping. She lives in Colorado with her family.
"
An absolute page-turner! Kids will eat this up!" —Jennifer L. Holm,
New York Times bestselling author of
THE LION OF MARS "Steeped in Trinidadian lore,
Bumps in the Night is
spooky and atmospheric. I loved it!" —Lindsay Currie, award-winning author of
SCRITCH SCRATCH and
WHAT LIVES IN THE WOODS "Filled with wonder, chills, excitement, and adventure.
Fantastic fun from start to finish!" —Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of
SPARK “A
thrilling, hair-raising tale. [It] kept me spellbound!” —Wendy Parris, author of Junior Library Guild selection
FIELD OF SCREAMS★ "Combined with fantastical, climate-conscious scenarios and vivacious and illuminating Black Indo-Trinidadian diaspora folklore that springs from the pages,
this beguiling read is one to savor." —
Publishers Weekly, starred review
"
Exciting, culturally rich fun and adventure." —
Kirkus Reviews
"A
fast-paced adventure."
—The Horn Book
"An
excellent read for those who crave adventure with a touch of spookiness."
—Booklist
