08/22/2022
A lonely young Witchling’s plan to conjure a friend goes gently awry in this sweet-natured, jauntily rhyming tale. The Witchling, portrayed with pale skin, doesn’t mind the bed beetles or dripping ceiling of her cozily appointed cave home, but she longs for a friend to take up the emptiness in her heart. Though her spell book has just the recipe, when she flies off in search of a special ingredient—“some furriness” from a one-eyed teddy bear—a crash landing offers friendship in another child, portrayed with brown skin. Fraser’s bouncy text carries readers through the night sky at a good clip, while Massini’s playful mixed-media artwork introduces two winning characters turned kindred spirits. Ages 3–6. (July)
"Delightful, poignant, sweet, and funny, this deceptively simple book will have readers spellbound." - SLJ, starred review
"With rhymes that make for fun reading and pictures with seek-and-find interest, “The Witchling’s Witch” is very sweet indeed." - Wall Street Journal
"Fraser’s bouncy text carries readers through the night sky at a good clip, while Massini’s playful mixed-media artwork introduces two winning characters turned kindred spirits." - Publishers Weekly
"Fraser’s warm rhyming text and Massini’s fanciful mixed-media illustrations cast an inviting spell." -
Horn Book Magazine
“Told in lively verses that scan well. . . . Charming illustrations. . . . Reassuring and endearing.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Unfolding in metered rhyme, this darling tale shines brightest in its detailed, whimsical illustrations.” —Booklist
“A beautiful reverie complete with fairies, unicorns, dinosaurs, and possibilities.” —Foreword Reviews, starred review, on THE GIRL AND THE DINOSAUR
“Lively and atmospheric.” —Kirkus Reviews on THE GIRL AND THE DINOSAUR
“Sweet rhymes make for a tranquil bedtime book, and the alluring watercolor-and- pencil illustrations create a warm world.” —Booklist on THE GIRL AND THE DINOSAUR
★ 08/01/2022
PreS-Gr 1—Little Witchling, pale-skinned and peachy-cheeked with straight black hair, lives all alone in her cave "above the misty mountains, below the glowing moon," and has only one wish: for a friend. But when she tries to "magic" a friend, her spell needs one more ingredient—the hair from a bear! Little does she know the perfect last hair is waiting not on a fierce bear, but on a little girl's favorite teddy. Can she bring herself to take it from a small girl, Lola (who has brown skin with curly black hair)? Fraser's (The Littlest Yak) rhyming text has enough surprises to make readers chuckle and just enough poignancy to make them sigh. The simple plot allows Massini's illustrations, done in watercolor, pencil, printed pattern collage, and Photoshop, to shine. The pages swirl with magical details—a bat, an owl, a cauldron, a boot—while readers follow Little Witch's oversized glowing green hat through the story. The book design itself is outstanding. The text reads like poetry that's all but tangible as words drip, drip, drip down the page, whirl around the cauldron, and whoosh off into the night. VERDICT Delightful, poignant, sweet, and funny, this deceptively simple book will have readers spellbound. Recommended.—Hillary Perelyubskiy
2022-03-30
“Witch” for something; you may get it.
The Witchling’s cozy mountaintop house contains the usual witchy accoutrements—bats, a cauldron, a book of spells. But these don’t compensate for what she really wants—a friend. The Witchling finds a recipe for conjuring one but notices she’s lacking one ingredient: fur from a one-eyed teddy bear. In her mind’s eye, the Witchling envisions a fearsome creature, but she musters courage and whooshes off on her broom to locate it—and lands in the bed of a little girl, the animal’s owner. After the Witchling warns her to beware of bears, the girl explains her dearly loved (stuffed) pal is harmless and will gladly donate his last hair to the cause. The Witchling demurs, recognizing the unbreakable bond between girl and cherished toy while joyfully realizing that, through kindness, she’s found true friendship, too. Friendship stories aren’t new, but this sweet British import, told in lively verses that scan well, will find a receptive audience. Children will enjoy poring over details of the Witchling’s cozy home and appreciate the easy camaraderie the protagonists quickly develop. The charming illustrations, rendered in watercolor, pencil, printed-pattern collage, and Photoshop, feature a light-skinned witch sporting an oversize green, star-bedecked hat; her new friend is brown-skinned. Type that often meanders playfully on pages and employs large capitals for dramatic effect enhances the child appeal. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Reassuring and endearing. (Picture book. 4-7)
