Witchy Tale: The Garden Witch

 

The Garden Witch 

by Kyle Beaudette

Illustrations by the author

Eye of Newt Books, Inc. 

2023

32 pages 

ISBN: 9781777791811

Quirky illustrations, funny characters, and a nod to old-fashioned fairy tales, The Garden Witch is a sure winner. This picture book will NOT sit on the shelf. Smart librarians will purchase several copies. It's that great! 

End pages give a nod to 1960s children's book and include a bookplate where readers can enter their name "This book belongs to..." fill in the blank. Poor witch lives alone with three very mean rats. They are lazy and call the witch names even though she cooks for them, gives them a place to live and cares for them. When Witch goes to market to sell her potions, no one visits her booth. Defeated the witch returns home. She faces the evil rat trio. They tell her to hurry up and feed them, and if she doesn't listen to them, they threaten they will eat her!

The witch tends her garden, seeking solace. She talks to her plants, telling them her woes. The garden uses its magic to grow a little turnip-boy. The Turnip is polite and cleans the house and agrees to go with the witch to the market to help her sell her wares. People are enthralled by the magic dancing turnip-boy and witch sells out of product. 

Returning home, the rats order the witch around. She doesn't let them eat her, in fact, she cooks and eats them! Witch and her turnip-boy have many happy years together and make a fortune at the market each week. 

The illustrations are quirky, clever and fun. The rhyming text begs to be read out loud. Savvy parents will do voices for the witch, the turnip-boy and the rats, causing young readers to giggle and ask for this story again and again. Beaudette is Canadian, so spelling is English, i.e., omelette, and "bum" is used for bottom. 

What a fun book! So different, no unique in the crowded picture book space. This is a gem of a book. A must-have, must-read ages 2 and up. 

MG Pick: Faker

 Faker

by Gordon Korman

Scholastic Press

2024

224 pages 

ISBN: 9781338826760

Available for pre-order and on sale July 2, 2024 

Twelve-year old Trey is the son of a con man. His father has been in the con game forever and it's the only life Trey has ever known. When he was younger, he knew they moved a lot and he had to change schools frequently, but Trey learns about his father's game and does his part to help his family. Doing his part means making friends with kids who are from wealthy families and introducing Dad to them. The game is then on! Trey is torn between helping his dad and questioning the morality of it all, but  Dad says they only take from those who are so rich they won't even miss the money. 

If a con goes sour or his dad suspects the marks are savvy to his game, the family knows the term "Houdini" means LEAVE NOW. Trey and his sister do not have time to pack a bag or say goodbye to the new friends they've made. It's "get out of town" time. They ditch their phones because the phones can be tracked. They jet off to a beach somewhere for a "vacation" which means Dad will plan their next game. They buy new clothes, new phones and have no contact EVER to the people they have met. 

The con life is getting old, but Trey is excited when his dad makes him a full partner to the scams. Younger sister Arianna voices her opinion about Dad favoring Trey because he's a boy, but Dad assures her that her time will come. 

The next town they move to is in Kentucky and Dad's new scam is selling shares in a "secret" start up company that will manufacture the El Capitan, a car Dad  has made using his specifications to look like the grandest new car on the market. It is so captivating to the eye, and Dad makes sure to influence Trey's friend's parents by his well-timed, smooth delivery, salesman smile and his demeanor that all say El Capitan is the "next big thing," He assures would-be investors the car will be unattainable, rare, and in such short supply, they better act quickly. 

Trey is sailing along great, making new friends, enjoying himself until he gets an anonymous note warning him: I know what you're doing. Now he's freaking out! What if anonymous blows up their game? Trey is saved by a friend who knows the con game well because his family has their own game. 

His friend says the FBI isn't too far away, so Dad dumps the scam claiming the El Capitan has mechanical problems. Trey and his family are forced out of crime, but Dad has an answer for everything. Their future looks bright! 

Faker is a rollicking joy-ride full of humor and heart. Korman, always a masterful storyteller, shines in this latest book. Faked is by far the best book Korman has put out in a very long time. Highly entertaining and easy to read for even the most reluctant of readers. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 8-12 and even older if the reader loves Korman and diabolical antics. 

Picture Book Pick: Floof

 

Floof 

by Heidi McKinnon

Illustrations by the author

Algonquin Young Readers 

Imprint of Workman Publishing Co., Inc.

Hatchette Book Group, Inc. 

32 pages

2024 

ISBN: 9781523525867

Floof is a fluffy, floofy cat who loves mischief-making. He's very busy all day. He has tons of work to do: unrolling the toilet paper, spilling coffee on the laptop, teasing the dog--(who is not his friend, but Floof doesn't care), playing in an empty box, rolling the ball for the dog--teasing again!, napping in a plant, napping in the laundry, napping on a stack of books. He's VERY busy. 

The illustrations tell the true story of Floof. He's a busy cat to be sure. His "work" is anything but work. For anyone who has ever loved a cat, Floof is the epitome of catastic. He's high energy, funny, silly, and a real charmer. 

Floof is a fun picture book for ages two and up. Readers will compare Floof to their own cat or cats they've known. 

Highly recommended for all animal lovers and little troublemakers. A must-have for every bookshelf and library.