After the girls and I
finished Waiting for the Magic, I decided we
needed another chapter book. We hadn’t read one together for a while. Life had
just gotten too hectic with homework and extracurricular activities. We didn’t
always have the time to read an entire chapter. Days would pass in between and
we would forget where we were. But we had so much enjoyed this novel that I
didn’t want to lose “the magic”.
And that is how I came to
be on my knees in front of the new book section of chapter books. I was looking
for something short with a few pictures that the girls would be interested in.
I picked up several and put away several. I almost walked away for something
older when I spotted Earwig. It may
have been the cat peeking up from the edge of the cover. My youngest always wants
to be the cat. Or it may have been Little
Orphan Annie undertones, but I decided to take a chance on Earwig.
Earwig was left on the
steps of an orphanage when she was an infant. It may have been a witch who left
her. Regardless, the person who left Earwig behind was being chased by twelve
other witches, but she promised to return for Earwig. After she shook off the
twelve. Which might take years.
Earwig is none the worse
for wear. She loves the orphanage she has grown up in – St. Morwald’s. And she
has a best friend – Custard. But most importantly, Earwig likes St. Morwald’s
because everyone there does exactly what she wants. She gets the dinners she
craves. She gets the clothes she desires. All of the kids agree to play the
games that Earwig enjoys. The last thing Earwig needs is foster parents.
Now, I bet you can guess
exactly what happens in the very first chapter. A couple comes and chooses Earwig
to take home with them. This is the first time that Earwig doesn’t get her way.
There is more reason for concern. The woman has blue hair and one blue eye. The
other eye is brown and she wears purple lipstick. She looks like a person
trying to look ordinary – and it isn’t working. And the man! He is called the
Mandrake and every time Earwig glances his way, he seems to have grown taller
and his ears longer until they no longer resemble ears, but more like horns!
Very quickly, Earwig
discovers that the woman, Bella Yaga, is a witch. The Mandrake is the Mandrake
and demons wait on him and follow him at all times. And Earwig is now their
servant. Slave perhaps. She has no control over them. She tries to strike a
bargain with the witch. Earwig asks to be taught magic in exchange for her
labor.
In the end, it is the cat,
Thomas, who teaches Earwig how to do magic. Thomas has his own plans for
freedom. Together, Earwig and Thomas weave a spell to protect them from the
witch, but also give her that which she most requires… help. My youngest
thought that Thomas the Cat was the best part of the book. My oldest like the
spell the two cast upon the witch. The book turns out to be quite funny and I
am especially glad because there were parts that I was afraid would be a bit
frightening. The girls never expressed fear.
On its own, I would
hesitate to recommend the book, but I am pretty confident that this will be the
first in a series. We must find out where Earwig came from after all. We are
all utterly curious! This could be the next Judy Moody, Junie B. or Clementine,
but with a “spooky” twist! Keep your fingers crossed and hopefully I’ll be
recommending a new “series” to 6 – 10 year-olds!
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