Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters

On his birthday--the same day as All Hallows' Eve--Black British 12-year-old Rayleigh Mann can't wait to join his troublemaking classmates for annual trickery. After sneaking past his snoozing grandmother, who is from Jamaica, Rayleigh searches for his friends. But he can't find them, and with London's mandatory "Lights Out to Help Out" curfew swiftly approaching, he makes his way back to his family's fancy high-rise apartment, only to be intercepted by a girl named Marley. She introduces him to Thelonius, a creature called a jumbie seemingly straight out of his Nana's Caribbean monster stories. Thelonius claims to be Rayleigh's uncle and informs the tween that he's a monsterling, and son of the infamous Bogey Mann--a legendary "Supreme Scarer"--who's gone missing. After agreeing to help search for his father, Rayleigh journeys to Below-London with Marley and Thelonius. On top of his quest, he must pass a series of trials, be accepted by the leader of the underworld, and settle a power struggle. In this action-packed fantasy adventure, Smart (Witches Steeped in Gold) combines organic-feeling descriptions of eerie London streets with Caribbean folklore to craft a world teeming with ghoulish scares and creepy creatures of the night. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)

"A dangerously good time, readers will unlock new fears and new fun with Rayleigh Mann!" — Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

"Readers, prepare to want to stay in the company of Rayleigh Mann forever. This enchanting world will grab hold and never let go. You'll never think of monsters the same way again. Triumphant!" — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers

"The diversity of monsters from various cultures present in the story is refreshing... Fantastic, frightful fun." — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Witches Steeped in Gold: "Aglow with detail, Witches Steeped in Gold is a thundering waterfall of magic, vengeance and intrigue. Smart spirits the reader straight to the heart of a vivid and perilous world, where power rests in the hands of women and fate turns on the bonds they break and forge." — Samantha Shannon, New York Times & Sunday Times bestselling author of THE BONE SEASON & THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE

"A bloody and deadly delight, Witches Steeped In Gold puts power into the hands of Black girls — the true, beating heart of magic!" — Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles series

"This delightfully delicious tale of witches and magical intrigue will have you reading late into the night." — Rena Barron, author of Kingdom of Souls