Children's Fiction Fantasy & Magic
Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Initial publish date
- Jul 2023
- Category
- Fantasy & Magic, Country Life, Adaptations
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781536214642
- Publish Date
- Jul 2023
- List Price
- $19.99
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781536236170
- Publish Date
- Aug 2024
- List Price
- $9.50
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Where to buy it
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age: 7 to 9
- Grade: 2 to 4
Description
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?
About the authors
KALLIE GEORGE works as an author and editor in Vancouver, and she holds a master's in children's literature from the University of British Columbia. In addition to writing and editing, Kallie is a speaker and leads workshops for aspiring writers. She finds all eggs enchanting, even ordinary ones.
WEB: www.kalliegeorge.com
ALEXANDRA BOIGER grew up in Munich, Germany, where she studied graphic design, and then began a career in feature animation, allowing her to work for Warner Bros. UK and DreamWorks. Since transitioning to children's book illustration, she has worked on numerous popular titles, including the Tallulah series. She lives with her husband and daughter in northern California.
WEB: www.alexandraboiger.com
Excerpt: Crimson Twill: Witch in the Country (by (author) Kallie George; illustrated by Birgitta Sif)
1
CACKLE COUNTY
Crimson Twill was a little witch. A little witch with a BIG imagination. She lived in Cackle County and was always thinking of unique ways of doing things. Like brewing lemonade in her cauldron. And decorating with bright blooms instead of withered roses. And imagining fun new clothing designs to send to Vera Fang, the fashion designer.
Not long ago, during a trip to New Wart City, Crimson had accidentally ended up in Vera’s
fashion show.
Right now, though, Crimson was imagining something else. The perfect day.
Today her friends Mauve and Wesley and Dusty the broom were coming to visit her. They lived in New Wart City and had never been to Cackle County. She had spent all week planning, creating a list of her favorite things to do with them.
And now everything was almost ready. Crimson’s mom was inside, putting the final touches on the house. Sweepy, her sweeping broom, looking festive in a bow, was dusting the dirt path that circled the farm. And Crimson was waiting on the lawn, wearing her favorite hat that was crimson like her name, and her polka-dotted dress with the spider-shaped buttons. The one that had been a sensation at Broomingdale’s.
Whoosh! Crimson heard a broom overhead.
But it wasn’t her friends. It was Granny Twill, swooping through the clouds.
“Granny, what are you doing here?” called Crimson.
Granny landed in the yard. Her broom hovered beside her. Granny had a carrot sticking out of her hair and bits of onion peel on her cloak. She smelled like a cooking spell.
“I brought this for the big day. It’s been marked on my calendar for ages,” she cackled. She pointed to a giant pot that was floating beside her. It was really giant! And it was filled with stew. “No need to be nervous as long as you are all ready.”
“I am,” said Crimson. “I’m wearing my favorite dress.”
“Dress . . . “” Granny looked puzzled. “That’s not quite what I meant.”
What Granny did mean, Crimson didn’t find out because Crimson’s mom came hurrying outside. “Oh, is that stew for us? How wonderfully wicked of you, Granny Twill.”
Like Crimson, she was flustered. She was hosting Mauve’s and Wesley’s parents. She had been untidying the house and hanging extra cobwebs all morning. Unlike Crimson, she was a traditional witch.
“I haven’t had a chance to spell up anything to eat,” she went on. “I knew I was missing something important.”
Granny Twill looked concerned. “Food is the most important thing. Now, don’t forget . . .” she started.
“To put a cooling spell on the stew, of course, of course,” said Crimson’s mom, sending the pot inside with a flick of her wand. It was so big, it was going to take up their whole kitchen!
“I do hope that stew is enough,” Granny Twill said as she got on her broom.
Enough? Crimson was confused. There was
too much. How many guests did Granny think were coming? But Crimson didn’t have a chance to say anything because, at that moment, Granny took off and—
“Watch out!” cried a voice.
Granny, now airborne, swerved quickly. She disap-peared into the clouds just as another broom, an extra-long one, appeared.
“Hello! Hello!”
Crimson’s friends. They were here!
Editorial Reviews
Spunky, independent-thinking witch Crimson Twill is excited that the friends she made during her New Wart City trip are coming to Cackle County to visit her. . . . Grayscale illustrations play up the humor. . . Will leave readers cackling with delight.
—Kirkus Reviews
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