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“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

“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 Reviews, 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

Magick Hoodoo Child

Written by Amber McBride
Illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
Published by HarperCollins

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.

Primary ISBN: 9780063395404
Publication Date: January 2026
Available As: Hardcover
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Southern)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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