If you enjoy reading books by Tracey Baptiste then you might also like the following authors:
Kwame Mbalia is an author known for creating stories filled with humor, heart, and adventure. His book “Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky” introduces readers to Tristan, a boy grieving the loss of his best friend.
When a strange creature steals his friend’s journal, Tristan ends up in a magical world where African folk heroes and gods exist. He accidentally damages this world, and chaos begins to unfold.
The book is full of action, unique characters, and mythology brought to life in ways that feel fresh and exciting.
Zoraida Córdova writes stories filled with magic and rich cultural influences. In her book “Labyrinth Lost,” she introduces Alex, a teenage bruja who tries to reject her powers by performing a spell. Instead, her entire family disappears into another realm called Los Lagos.
To save them, Alex teams up with a boy she doesn’t trust and a beautiful girl with secrets of her own. The world Córdova creates feels alive, with strange lands and dangerous creatures, while also exploring themes of family, identity, and courage.
Crystal Allen writes heartfelt and lively stories with characters that feel real and relatable. In her book “The Magnificent Mya Tibbs: Spirit Week Showdown,” Mya, a spunky fourth-grader, gets paired with someone she doesn’t quite like for her school’s Spirit Week activities.
As the week unfolds, Mya discovers new sides to people and navigates friendships and misunderstandings. It’s full of humor and warm moments, and you can almost see the colorful world Crystal creates through Mya’s eyes.
Roseanne A. Brown writes stories full of magic and heartfelt themes. Her book “A Song of Wraiths and Ruin” draws on West African folklore and follows Malik, a boy who enters a deadly competition to save his sister.
He crosses paths with Karina, a princess desperate to bring her mother back from the dead. Their lives collide in surprising ways, full of ancient secrets and high stakes. Fans of Tracey Baptiste might enjoy the rich cultural roots and layered characters in Brown’s work.
Yoon Ha Lee writes science fiction with a blend of strategy and imagination. In “Ninefox Gambit,” readers are brought into a world where calendars and mathematics shape reality itself.
The story follows Kel Cheris, a soldier who teams up with the ghost of a brilliant but dangerous general to save her people. The book weaves together military tactics and strange, beautiful concepts that make the universe feel both vast and personal.
Fans of deep world-building and unique characters might find it hard to put down.
Bethany C. Morrow writes stories that often blend reality with elements that feel almost magical.
Her novel, “A Song Below Water,” introduces Tavia, a Black teen who is secretly a siren, and her friend Effie, who plays a mermaid at local events but is hiding something even deeper.
The story explores their struggles as they fight to protect themselves in a world that fears and silences voices like Tavia’s. There’s friendship, secrets, and an important look at how society treats those who dare to be different.
Morrow’s characters and the challenges they face make her books hard to put down.
Jerry Craft writes stories that feel real and relatable, often through the eyes of young characters figuring out where they belong.
His graphic novel “New Kid” introduces us to Jordan Banks, a seventh-grader who loves drawing comics but finds himself stuck at a private school where he’s one of the few Black students.
The book captures the awkwardness of navigating friendships in a new environment while staying true to yourself. It’s funny and heartfelt, with moments that make you think about how kids see the world around them.
Roshani Chokshi writes stories filled with vibrant myths and magic. One of her standout books, “Aru Shah and the End of Time,” is about a girl named Aru who accidentally awakens an ancient demon.
To fix things, she teams up with a companion and sets out to stop the demon from destroying everything. The book is rooted in Hindu mythology, introducing readers to enchanting otherworldly beings and thrilling adventures.
Fans of Tracey Baptiste might enjoy Chokshi’s way of blending mythology with fast-paced storytelling.
Daniel José Older writes stories that blend urban settings with magic and complex characters. His book “Shadowshaper” introduces Sierra Santiago, a Brooklyn teenager who discovers she can bring art to life with her powers.
Her journey pulls her into a world of spirits and hidden secrets while she tries to protect her neighborhood. The book balances cultural heritage and the supernatural, with a lively backdrop of New York life.
Nnedi Okorafor writes stories that blend African culture with science fiction and fantasy in a way that feels fresh and imaginative. One of her books, “Akata Witch,” follows Sunny, a girl born in America but living in Nigeria, who discovers she has magical powers.
Sunny joins a group of friends who share similar abilities, and together they study magic while taking on a mission to stop a dangerous villain. The story is filled with unique magical elements and explores both friendships and identity in interesting ways.
Claribel Ortega writes imaginative and adventurous stories rooted in folklore and magic. One of her books, “Ghost Squad,” follows Lucely and her best friend, Syd, as they accidentally unleash mischievous spirits in their small town.
To set things right, they team up with Syd’s quirky grandmother and her cat, uncovering secrets and using light magic to save the day. It’s a fun mix of humor, heart, and suspense that fans of Tracey Baptiste’s “The Jumbies” might enjoy exploring.
Rick Riordan is known for writing fast-paced stories that blend modern life with ancient mythology. In his book “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” Percy Jackson, a twelve-year-old boy, discovers he’s a demigod, the son of Poseidon.
Strange things start happening to him, and he’s thrown into a dangerous adventure to recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt.
Along the way, he travels with his friend Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, while they face monsters and uncover secrets about Percy’s past. The story draws heavily from Greek myths and reimagines them in the present day.
It’s full of action and humor, with plenty of twists.
Julian Randall is an author whose work often weaves heartfelt stories with a touch of magic. In his book “Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa,” the story follows Pilar, a young girl from Chicago, who finds herself pulled into a mythical world filled with danger and adventure.
As she searches for answers about her family’s history, she confronts creatures and challenges rooted in Dominican folklore. The mix of real-world struggles and fantastical elements creates an unforgettable journey.
Fans of Tracey Baptiste’s “The Jumbies” might find this story equally rich in culture and wonder.
Victoria Schwab is an author who brings imaginative worlds to life with stories that explore complex characters and intriguing conflicts. Her book, “City of Ghosts,” is about a girl named Cassidy Blake who can see and interact with ghosts.
After a close brush with death, Cassidy gains the ability to cross into the spirit world. When her parents, who are ghost-hunters, take her to Scotland to film a paranormal TV show, Cassidy encounters a dark and restless spirit that threatens her.
This story blends mystery with supernatural elements in a way that keeps you turning the pages.
Elliot Reed writes stories that feel deeply personal and focus on the connections between people.
One of Reed’s books, “A Key to Treehouse Living,” is about a boy named William Tyce, who grows up without parents and tries to make sense of the world through a unique format—a dictionary of his life, filled with words and their meanings tied to his experiences.
Through his definitions, you piece together moments of joy, struggle, and discovery. It’s a book that feels intimate and offers a fresh way to tell a story.