Skip to main content

Curse of the Night Witch

By

 


Curse of the Night Witch
Written by: Alex Aster
Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2020. Fiction.

Tor Luna lives on Emblem Island where everyone knows their lives will be dictated by the emblem they are born with. Tor was born to be a leader, just like his mother, but he hates his emblem and wants more than anything to change his fate. One night during the annual New Year's Eve celebration Tor throws a wish into the fire asking for a different emblem. The next morning he awakens to discover that instead of  his wish being granted he has been given a curse which could only come from the Night Witch. Tor, his best friend Engle and Melda, the smartest girl in Tor's class, decide they must find the Night Witch and ask her to remove the curse. So begins an adventure that will change their lives forever.

One of my favorite things about this tale is how the author weaves in myths and Columbian folklore into the story. These ancient myths provide clues and answers to the obstacles that Tor and his friends face as they encounter odd creatures and greedy people who are hungry for more power.  As they travel from place to place on their way to find the Night Witch we are introduced to these mini stories from the book of Cuentos.  I enjoyed this look at the nature of stories, where they come from, why they are told and how story tellers influence the way we see people and view the world around us. 

If you are looking for a middle grade book with magical adventures and mythology then this book is for you. A perfect fantasy book for readers who love an exciting new adventure.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Painting for Peace in Ferguson

By
Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dragon Run

By
Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013.  336 pgs.  Fantasy      Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life.  He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines.  Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...
1 comment
Read more

Review: Growing Home

By
Growing Home Written by Beth Ferry Illustrated by The Fan Brothers New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. Fiction. 261 pages. This book has some entertaining characters! We get to read about Toasty, the goldfish who loves to eat cheese puffs, Ivy, a plant with magical powers, and Arthur, the spider who ends up with a broken leg. Jillian is the main human character in the book. She loves Toasty and Ivy, and would probably love Arthur, too, but she doesn't know about him....yet. Her parents own an antique shop, but they are facing some economic hardship.  This charming story is about magic, teamwork, and friendship. I loved that there were all kinds of shenanigans happening. While we are on a journey where the fish, the plant, the spider, and the girl are working to solve one mystery after another, the author beautifully guides us to the realization that words are powerful, friendships can heal hearts, and books have their own magic power to help in all kinds ...
Post a Comment
Read more