Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters

by Ciannon Smart (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

Enter the world of Below London, the magical home of monsters, where causing a ruckus is the best thing you can do.

Notorious troublemaker Rayleigh Mann has just discovered he's the son of the infamous Bogey Mann. There's just one problem: Bogey is missing and Rayleigh is the only one who can find him. But to do so, Rayleigh must travel to Bogey's world...Below London, where Rayleigh's penchant for tricks just might help him survive an adventure straight out of his wildest dreams--or perhaps his most terrifying nightmares.

With a hilarious voice and endlessly fun magic, the first book in Ciannon Smart's thrilling middle grade fantasy series is perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The Marvellers.

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$19.99

Kirkus

Fantastic, frightful fun.

ALA/Booklist

Toss a token in your laundry hamper, hop inside the swirling vortex, and embrace the monster within.

Publishers Weekly

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.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

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

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780063081253
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Harper
Publication date
September 26, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
JUV052000 - Juvenile Fiction | Monsters
JUV012070 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Caribbean & Latin American
Library of Congress categories
Magic
Fantasy
London (England)
Missing persons
England
Fathers
Monsters
Climatic changes
Monster fiction
Children, Black
Black people

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