Bayou Magic

Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Narrated by Bahni Turpin

It's Maddy's turn to have a bayou summer. At first she misses life back home in the city, but soon she grows to love everything about her new surroundings -- the glimmering fireflies, the glorious landscape, and something else, deep within the water, that only Maddy sees. Could it be a mermaid? As her grandmother shares wisdom about sayings and signs, Maddy realizes she may be only the sibling to carry on her family's magical legacy. And when a disastrous oil leak threatens the bayou, she knows she may also be the only one who can help. Does she have what it takes to be a hero? A coming-of-age tale rich with folk magic, set in the wake of the Gulf oil spill, "Bayou Magic "celebrates hope, friendship, and family, and captures the wonder of life in the Deep South.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490694955

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Jewell Parker Rhodes is an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction, including the Marie Laveau mystery series, Magic City, and Douglass' Women. She is also the author of numerous children's books, including the New York Times bestseller Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother. She is the Virginia G. Piper Chair in Creative Writing and artistic director of the Virginia G. Piper Center in Creative Writing at Arizona State University. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Reviews for Bayou Magic

[queenie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was amazing. I can't wait to share with my babies when they get up in the morning

[Amy Wolfe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not just for kids. Warm and wonderful. Jewell Parker Rhodes is a great storyteller and a talented writer.

[Susan Day · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My daughter really enjoyed this book. The mermaid aspect was one of her favorites. I appreciated the message of conservation and caring for the environment.

[vicki benson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have read several times reminds me of my summers of adventures at my grandparents . Praise to this new author Jewell & the lovely enchanted voices that read these books .

[jennybeast · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Little bit of magic set in the Bayou. Maddy spends the summer with her grand-mere and finds a surprising place for herself.

Loves: Maddy is the 5th daughter and is somewhat overshadowed by her siblings at home. Seeing her connect with her grandmere and with the Bayou is lovely. She's not afraid of dirt. She loves her overalls and the heat and the jungle-world of the bayou and her new friend Bear -- nice to see a kid who plays like a kid, who has all the wonder at the world around her. Fireflies are magical no matter what, and I like that the magic in this book grows over time, and it's steeped in family traditions. I love that it's also very realistic kinds of magic (well, except for the mermaid, but what kid hasn't seen a mythical creature and wondered if it was real?)
Also, strong environmental message that speaks to saving traditions and communities, and talks about the reality of trying to save birds and fish impacted by oil.

I'm not sure that the magical thinking that allows Maddy and the mermaids to protect the specific Bayou works completely for me, but I do understand the wishfulness of it. And I like that this is a fairly lighthearted book on the whole.

[drfuriosa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A sweet, wistful story about the magic of friendship, family love, and nature. It's also a tale of the environment and how we must mindfully take care of natural habitats.

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sweet and endearing. A beautiful story, never preachy, with great lessons of real life.

[brainannex · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jewell Parker Rhodes is such a magical lovely person and her books are too. Her newest book is about Maddy, the youngest of a family of girls. She goes to her grandmother's house deep in the bayou for the summer. When a firefly follows the car to the house, it is but the first step in a magical summer. The language, the rhythms, the myths, are what make this worth the read.