Stormy Weather

STORMCASTER: WITCHING SEASON by Alyxandra Harvey. Walker/Bloomsbury, 2014.

The beginning of a new trilogy features a trio of cousins who are coming into their powers as witches, something none of them had quite expected. Emma finds the body of a dying witch. Suddenly the Greymalkin Sisters, a trio of warlocks, are also there, draining what little life remains from the witch. And now the battle is underway. The evil Greymalkin Sisters wreak havoc, Emma and her cousins Gretchen and Penelope must protect themselves and then there are the Keepers, a secret group who have an interest in Emma as well because of her ancestry. Romance, history (set in 19th century London), and fantasy combine for a novel many readers will love (and eagerly await the second installment).

Unwilling Witch

THE UNWILLING WITCH by David Lubar. Tor Starscape, 2013.

Hurrying to meet her friend Jan at the mall, Angie stops to assist an old woman who looks in distress. As it turns out, the woman instead is a witch who is ready to transfer her power to Angie. But being a new witch is very dangerous. Angie has no understanding of what her powers are and can do. She needs to figure that out, though, before the one who would take that power from her dispatches her. Lubar's new series MONSTERRIFIC TALES, is sure to be popular with middle grade readers with its skillful combination of humor and danger.

Ribbit

FROGGED by Vivian Vande Velde. Harcourt, 2013.


Princess Imogene is approaching her thirteenth birthday. Her other has given her a book about how to be a good princess. Imogene must read it before her birthday, and finds it insufferable. However, when Imogene learns the plight of the frog before her, she knows it is her duty to kiss him and return him to his original human form. Problem is, the frog lied to her. He is not a prince. Worse, she is now a frog and will remain so until she convinces someone to kiss her and then take her place as a frog. How could she do that to another? And so Imogene is off on a journey, trying to figure out what she must do to return to her princess form. The journey will include a stint as a member of a travelling drama group where Imogene will learn some important lessons--better than the ones in her stuffy old book to be sure.

Some magic in the making

BROOM, ZOOM! by Caron Lee Cohen. Illustrations by Sergei Ruzzier. Simon & Schuster, 2012.

A young witch, gazing out at the night, wants to have a broom so she can fly off and enjoy the evening. But Little Monster needs the broom to tidy up. How can the problem be solved? Simple language, boldly colored illustrations, and a lovely message combine to make this a terrific book for emerging readers. For independent readers, try ZOOM BROOM by Margie Palatini.

Witches!

WITCHES by Rosalyn Schanzer. National Geographic, 2011.

Schanzer relates the story of the mass hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts. From the religious zealots to the jealous neighbors, and the testimony of those involved, Schanzer brings readers directly to the time and place, into the courtroom and into history. An exploration of possible explanations for this hysterical behavior is provided readers without pointing to any one answer, letting kids know that sometimes the events of history remain shrouded in mystery. This is a perfect narrative nonfiction accompaniment to THE CRUCIBLE. <477>

Boo!

GHOSTS IN THE HOUSE by Kazuno Kohara. Roaring Brook, 2008.

Ghosts are in the house
Whatever can a witch do?
Wash and dry and hang?

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Earwig and the witch

EARWIG AND THE WITCH by Diana Wynne Jones (Greenwillow 2012) gives readers a heroine who can stand up to all manner of beasts. Earwig has been happy growing up in the orphanage. When she is selected by a couple who want to adopt her, she is, quite frankly, disappointed to be leaving a place where she is firmly in charge. That is most certainly NOT the case with her new home at 13 Lime Avenue. Bella Yaga and the Mandrake are not really in the market for a child. Yaga wants a slave, and Mandrake just wants some peace and quiet. With the assistance of the witch's familiar, Earwig manages to wrest control and take back her life. <150>

Witchy Woman

Lexi has heard the tale of The Near Witch her entire life. Her father included it as a bedtime story, part of the lore he imparted to Lexi before his death. Now, though, it seems as though the Near Witch is more than lore. In her novel THE NEAR WITCH (Hyperion 2011), Victoria Schwab blends lore and superstitions and fear to create the atmosphere of a village on a witch hunt. When a stranger arrives on the moor, suspicions are immediately aroused in Lexi's village. And then a child disappears and another and a third. Lexi knows where the stranger is hiding. She befriends Connor, an action with consequences that extend beyond suspicion. Dark, mysterious, suspenseful: Schwab's story draws readers into the village and the minds (closed) of its leaders. <520>