Bewitching by Alex Flinn

I'll let you in on a little secret....I have a thing for fairy tales. 

Way back when, as a tiny little thing, my mom read fairy tales to me at bedtime.  I went to sleep each night with visions of lovely dresses swirling to the music as my prince charming locked eyes with me across a crowded room.  I suppose it was around third grade when I began systematically checking out EVERY single book on fairy tales in the Sherman Public Library.  I literally read everything held in 398.2.  I delighted in learning about tales from various lands and loved the heft of the old books, with the plain old-fashioned covers that held dazzling stories of magic and beauty.  The books themselves, were like the quintessential fairy tale sorceress hiding her beauty to see who was kind and generous to her anyway...and I was the kid lucky enough to find them, to know that these books shimmered.

So, I suppose it isn't a real surprise then, to tell you I'm a fan of Alex Flinn's work.   Her stories are...well, Bewitching (clever, no?).  I've had so many students ask if there will be a sequel to Beastly----I really never imagined there would  be, but I'm thrilled Flinn has come out with her latest book!  And the cover is truly lovely---no longer the crone hiding her identity, but showing up in her loveliest incarnation.

Bewitching takes a closer look at Kendra, the witch from Beastly. 

Once upon a time, in the year 1666, our Kendra was a teenager living in  England. Tragically, she lost all family members except a younger brother to the plague.  Determined to save him, she seeks out her friend Lucinda, a woman said by some to be a witch, for a cure.  Finding Lucinda already gone, she and young Charlie set out--knowing they must leave their village.  Half-starved and not realizing her own powers, she and Charlie come across a dear little house---could it be?---made of GINGERBREAD in the forest.  Ravenous, they begin to eat---meaning only to take a little, but finding it so tasty and delicious they nibble more and more.  Enter the witch....

Bewitching weaves the story of the long-lived Kendra with the story of Emma--in a great Cinderella twist--and her step-sister Lucinda.  As Kendra decides whether or not to step in and offer assistance to Emma, we learn about various times Kendra's assistance....well, went rather awry.  I'm sure you've heard about the Princess in the Pea?  The Little Mermaid?  Yep, not all of Kendra's spells come out quite like she intends....so the question of whether to help Emma or not is of valid concern, for sure!  I mean, she actually likes Emma---she has a real friend for the first time in years...what if something goes horribly, horribly wrong?
I won't tell you everything, of course...but be warned!  The book itself is too delicious to be ignored, and once you get a little nibble, you too will want more and more.

Read on, Gentle Readers; Read on,
Mrs. S.