The Witchling's Wish

by Lu Fraser (Author) Sarah Massini (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the illustrator of The Girl and The Dinosaur comes a heartwarming, magical picture book about what it means to be a friend.

Little Witchling lives alone on her mountain top, and more than anything else, she wishes for a friend. When her spell book tells her that the secret ingredient to conjuring a friend is the fur from a little girl's favorite teddy bear, she knows what she must do. But the bear belongs to Lily, who can't bear to part with him. Will the Little Witchling give up her dream of a real friend? Or maybe there's a way for her and Lily to make the wish come true together . . . With heartwarming rhyming text from Lu Fraser, and beautiful illustrations from Sarah Massini, this magical friendship story is perfect for little witches everywhere!

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Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus

Told in lively verses that scan well. . . . Charming illustrations. . . . Reassuring and endearing.

ALA/Booklist

Unfolding in metered rhyme, this darling tale shines brightest in its detailed, whimsical illustrations.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

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

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"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

Lu Fraser
Lu Fraser has been helping other people tell stories for years, but she has never been brave enough to share her own--until now. Lu lives in England with her husband and daughter and writes her best stories in a little shed in her backyard.

Kate Hindley is an illustrator who has brought many best-selling picture books to life, including You Must Bring a Hat, winner of the Sainsbury Children's Book Award. She is also the author of the lift-the-flap book series Treacle Street. Kate lives in England.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781547609062
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publication date
July 05, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV017030 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Halloween
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Witches

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