Backyard Witch #1
by Christine Heppermann
“Sadie has two best friends: Jess and Maya. But Jess can only take one friend on vacation with her, and Sadie is the one who gets left behind. How will she ever survive the days of loneliness and boredom? But wait . . . what is that in her old playhouse in the backyard? A witch has moved in! A kind and funny witch, who’s looking for her own two lost friends. Together, Sadie and the witch have a curious adventure, one that makes Sadie see her neighborhood–and herself–with new eyes.”
What starts off as an endearing tale of one lonely girl and a big backyard quickly seems to turn into an ornithology (study of birds) reference guide. The premise of a girl with a lot of time and a new character who is a friendly witch drew my attention. But the emphasis quickly became on birds. It may be something others relish and that I am repelled by, so I would still encourage any curious 7-8 year olds to pick up this book and see for themselves if this is a series worth committing to.
KIDS LIT 