Jinn were created before mankind. Therefore, they exist before the creation of Adam and Eve. Jinn's origins is fire while mankind is from clay. Like men, Jinn can die.

Jinn are from distant islands beyond the sea. They are able to travel great distances to interact with mankind. Some Jinn are good while some are not. In most tween and teen fiction, they are malicious creatures. Yet, Jinn like mankind know: right from wrong. They know and understand: truth from fiction. Also, they know: good from bad.

Jinn marry and have children. They can intermarry with others including mankind. Queen Jadis, the White Witch, in The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is half Jinn and half Giant. Jinn have homes, too. A Genie (Jinn) in the story One Thousand and One Arabian Nights lives in a lamp.

The Jinn character experiences the feelings: envy and greed. These two traits bring trouble to mankind's existence. Mankind is usually caught in the Jinn’s greedy struggle for power. This is in many tween and teen fiction to increase the tension in the hero(es) life.

In children's books, the Jinn character is strong and evil. So strong its power can enter protected areas. They are magical entities. Of course, they are a part of the dark, magical realm. The Jinn character, Ifrit, in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's book, The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming, fits this profile.

A.K.A.

Genii
Genie
Djinn
Jinun
Jinni


Tween and Teen books with the Jinn character

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis
The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
One Thousand and One Arabian Nights by Geraldine McCaughrean
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling





Sign up to receive the free Children's Books Reviews newsletter. Do not miss any future articles.

List of Dr. Seuss Books
Don Freeman Books
Stan Berenstain Books