Magick Hoodoo Child

Amber McBride

Book cover for Magick Hoodoo Child
Image for variant 9798260502327
Book cover for Magick Hoodoo Child
Image for variant 9798260502327

Magick Hoodoo Child

Magick Hoodoo Child

Amber McBride

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Description

* FOUR STARRED REVIEWS *

From Amber McBride, National Book Award finalist and Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe award-winning author, comes her debut picture book, a heartwarming story about one girl's magick-filled summer with her grandmother. She learns about hoodoo and rootwork culture, the traditions of her African ancestors, and finding beauty in nature.

"A unique tale to be welcomed with excitement and awe--and cherished."--Kirkus (starred review)

"McBride, making a picture book debut, weaves community, spirituality, and love for the natural world into a summer's worth of connections and practices."--Publishes Weekly (starred review)

Roots are our ancestor's Magick. Summer for Juniper has finally arrived, which means rootwork with Grandma can finally begin! It's time to collect healing herbs into protective mojo bags; to fill mason jars with all the love, history, dirt, and magick one can fit. It's time to talk to the tranquil willow trees and feel the soft earth between one's toes; to hear Grandma share their ancestors' stories, with her dog Shiloh underfoot.
From National Book Award finalist Amber McBride comes a loving story about rootwork, a powerful African spiritual practice, and the significance of familial connections and traditions, reminding us how sacred it is to reconnect with the people we love, the earth, one's heritage, and the healing power that provides.

Praise for Magick Hoodoo Child:
"Herbalist and hoodoo practitioner McBride's picture-book debut is a multigenerational
commemoration of strength and family history... Beyond obvious appeal for folk-magick practitioners, share this alongside stories about the joy of summers with grandparents"--Booklist (starred review)

"Amber McBride continues to enchant readers of many ages. Magick Hoodoo Child is a truly enchanted book, and a compelling testament to harnessing the power of nature and ancestors in the face of life's challenges." --BookPage (starred review)

Critical Reviews

Herbalist and hoodoo practitioner McBride's picture-book debut is a multigenerational
commemoration of strength and family history... Beyond obvious appeal for folk-magick practitioners, share this alongside stories about the joy of summers with grandparents, such as Michelle Sterling's When Lola Visits (2021) and Nikki Grimes' A Cup of Quiet (2025).

- Booklist (starred review)

McBride's shimmering prose immerses readers in Juniper's experience, while Encarnación's illustrations make powerful use of light and shadow. Their perspective on the Black diaspora brings something truly new to children's literature. A unique tale to be welcomed with excitement and awe--and cherished.

- Kirkus (starred review)
In this immersive intergenerational work, a Black child develops her bond with hoodoo during a joyful 'rootwork summer.' McBride, making a picture book debut, weaves community, spirituality, and love for the natural world into a summer's worth of connections and practices. - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Amber McBride continues to enchant readers of many ages. Her latest offering is a multilayered, empowering picture book about a girl gathering strength, love and wisdom from her grandmother during a summer visit. Magick Hoodoo Child is a truly enchanted book, and a compelling testament to harnessing the power of nature and ancestors in the face of life's challenges. - BookPage (starred review)

Publishing Information

Publisher: Bound to Stay Bound Books
Pub date: 2026-01-20
Length: 40 pages

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