A cheery reminder that true magic lies within.
Magic: What’s not to love?
Willow, a young witch, loves her wand, which magically whisks stuff her way when she brandishes it. Everything Willow wants to accomplish, she does. She attributes her very witchiness to it. Alas, the teacher (a mummy in a yellow dress) at the school for cryptids Willow attends confiscates the wand when our witch unfairly uses it to score a goal during a soccer game. Afterward, Willow cleans up, waters the plants, and plays with her mythological schoolmates—a pint-sized Dracula, unicorn, werewolf, and a dragon who uses a wheelchair, among others—without magical intervention. When the wand is returned, Willow claims she’d forgotten about it, realizing she hadn’t needed it. Willow concedes that though her wand’s great, she doesn’t have to use it for everything to be a witch. She seems to understand her own abilities and talents are what’s really magical, and she can be a witch without the wand. Intended to reassure readers about their own strengths, this message may go over more literal-minded children’s heads, who might wonder how someone can be a witch without their powers. The vividly colored digital illustrations fare better: They’re lively and sweetly appealing, and the cryptid students are endearing. Unusually, text is set in all capitals. Exuberant, purple-haired Willow has light-brown skin; other humanoid characters are diverse in skin tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A cheery reminder that true magic lies within. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 18, 2023
ISBN: 9781534497696
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A spellbinding tale that encourages readers to accept—and celebrate—what makes us different.
A bespectacled young witch longs for a cat but ends up with something unexpected.
Though Wilma is excited for her first feline pet, when she goes to the Beast Buddies Pet Shop there are no more cats; instead, she is offered a wombat. She begrudgingly takes the dumpy, snoozy chum but worries: “Everyone else brings cats to school. Cats have been friends to witches for centuries. What a cat-tastrophe!” Unfortunately, Wombat is afraid of heights, which makes mastering Broom-Flying Basics a challenge; can’t perch on the edge of a cauldron during Brewing Potions for Beginners; and doesn’t stay in the required spell boundary zone, causing a spell to go disastrously wrong. Wilma is so frustrated she wishes Wombat would disappear. And Wombat does just that—by burrowing deep into the ground. Sprinkled with wombat facts (Wilma’s remembering that wombat scat is cube-shaped helps her follow a trail of poop to find her pal), this is a winning testament to true friendship. Wilma sets aside her assumptions of what a witch’s companion should look like and realizes just how wonderful Wombat truly is. This is a not-so-spooky tale perfect for Halloween and beyond. Wilma has bluish-black hair and pale skin among a diverse class. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A spellbinding tale that encourages readers to accept—and celebrate—what makes us different. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 4, 2023
ISBN: 9780593569634
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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