The Girl and the Witch's Garden
by Erin Bowman
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2020
273 pages
ISBN: 9781534461581
Twelve-year old Piper Peavey doesn't want to stay at her grandmother's cold and imposing estate. She wants to stay with her sick father. Dying of cancer, Dad needs her, but Aunt Eva insists Piper must stay at the mansion because she has a busy job and must be in Colorado.
Dumped at the Mallory Estate, Piper expects to be met by her grandmother and finally spend time with her runaway mother. She hasn't had any contact with her mother since she was a baby, but she longs to meet her and find a relationship. When she's greeted by four orphans her mother has taken in, she's gobsmacked. Her mother who never had time for her has now adopted a band of orphans in her place? Things don't make sense and Grandmother is strangely missing. Pipe knows something isn't right.
When her mother sits down for dinner in the vast dining room she lays down the law. She will not dine with Piper. Piper must stay away from her part of the mansion and no sneaking around the grounds. Also, there's a strange Persian cat who seems to patrol the children whenever they are someplace they shouldn't be.
It doesn't take long for the kids to fill Piper in: her mother is looking for a way into the garden to find a magical elixer that grants immortal life. What Piper wouldn't give to find that elixir and save her father's life! Nothing is as it should be and Piper's going to have to work hard to figure out puzzles and clues to find the elixir.
Beautiful cover art will help sell this story.
Readers who love a smart girl and solving mysteries with a little magic will like this book.
Recommended grades 4-7.
Glad you picked this one to feature. I'm a fan of Erin Bowman and really enjoyed this book by her.
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