Root Magic

 

Root Magic is a story about learning how to deal with grief…with a lot of magic.  Not long after Jezebel Turner and Jay Turner deal with their grandmother’s death, they get trained in rootwork, an African American folk magic that is part of their family’s history.  While immersing themselves in this tradition they are facing the harsh realities of what it means to be African American in 1963. Infusing the magic of folklore with social commentary from the perspective of a child, this slowly became an irresistible horror story that is appropriate for children.

I know that there is a lot of push for more diversity in reading these days. I find it important to represent a wide variety of voices in literature, which I applaud. This book brings up the importance of not only illuminating the realities of the African American experience and for the need for an oppressed group to explore their own rich cultural heritage.  However it is also a very fun, enjoyable book to read—and I feel like sometimes in the push to read more diverse voices more playful perspectives can get neglected.

The child’s perspective makes it a wonderful children’s book, but it is also one that an adult with more education and experience can enjoy.  But then I often find that excelling in characterizing a child’s perspective, like Eden Royce does so masterfully makes for a story that is able to wed the combination of the wonder of learning more of the world with the terror of a first loss. I would definitely recommend this dark fantasy to all age groups!