Monday, February 20, 2023

Today's read... Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country by Kallie George

Since I'm baking an apple cake this morning, this read seemed like a perfect fit. It's a chapter book series, which circles around a super, sweet witch, who gets herself into all sorts of silly and exciting situations... or so I'm told. I found the cover adorable with the little worm in the apple, cute frog and lovely spiderwebs to give a slightly creepy touch. Now, let's see if the story is just as inviting. 


CRIMSON TWILL
WITCH IN THE COUNTRY
by Kallie George
Illustrated by Birgitta Sif
Candlewick Press
Chapter Book
80 pages
ages 6 to 10


COMING...
JULY 11th!!!



Little witch Crimson wants her friends to have fun on their first visit to the country—but everything goes wrong! In a second punny adventure, the delightful series continues with plenty of spells and humor.

Crimson Twill’s new friends from New Wart City, Mauve and Wesley, are coming for a visit! But as soon as they arrive at Crimson’s house in Cackle County, things start to go wrong. At the rotten apple orchard, Crimson’s ripening spell goes horribly awry (what will they do with all that rotten applesauce?). Then, at the broom-straw field, Wesley cuts too much straw and starts to float away. And when the friends try to collect frogs’ breath for their spells (it makes everything wonderfully green and warty), Mauve gets a stinky faceful of it! What on earth is going on? The whole countryside feels like something big is about to happen, and Crimson wonders if it has something to do with Granny Twill and that giant cauldron of stew she made. Can Crimson get to the bottom of this bad-luck mystery? And, more importantly, will her city friends ever want to visit her again?


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68466869-crimson-twill
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLJ38351
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crimson-twill-kallie-george/1142507767
BOOK DEPOSITORY: https://www.bookdepository.com/Crimson-Twill-Witch-in-the-Country-Kallie-George-Birgitta-Sif/9781536214642


MY TIDBITS

This witch is a friend readers will want to have. They never know what ridiculous and fun adventures they might run into next with her at their side.

Crimson is super excited: some of her friends are coming to visit. But things aren't quite as smoothly planned as she'd hoped. Luckily, others are there to help and work with her as well as they can...despite their very different personalities. As she goes down her list of things she wants to do with her friends, one strange thing after the other occurs, causing quite much more adventure than she had ever planned. 

This is a cute read with a witch and heart. Crimson is a super friendly, kind soul, who enjoys spending time with friends and does everything she can to make them feel comfortable. The country aspect adds a nice, wholesome twist, while the magic and witchiness stir in the fun. The idea of witches enjoying rotten apples, dealing with bats, and meeting trolls slides in with slight humor and smiles. It's hard to guess what will happen next because nothing runs quite as it should. 

This read flows well and keeps a quick pace the entire way through. The imaginative twists keep readers on their toes, while the sprinkled in illustrations make the characters and scenes come to life. The vocabulary won't frustrate but isn't overly easy, either. There are moments of tension but nothing which will bother more sensitive readers. It's a fun read, and I am looking forward to see what adventures Crimson Twill will have next.



And here they are...

Kallie George is the author of several picture books for young children, including The Doll Hospital, illustrated by Sara Gillingham, and Secrets I Know, illustrated by Paola Zakimi. She is also the author of the Heartwood Hotel chapter book series, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, among many other books for children. Kallie George lives with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Birgitta Sif is the author-illustrator of the picture books Oliver and Frances Dean Who Loved to Dance and Dance. She is also the illustrator of Snowboy and the Last Tree Standing by Hiawyn Oram, The Tall Man and the Small Mouse by Mara Bergman, and Hugo by Atinuke. Originally from Iceland, Birgitta Sif lives with her family in Sweden.

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