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Backyard Witch: Maya's Story
Backyard Witch: Maya's Story
Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2017
Review
The third collaboration between Heppermann and Ron Koertge, this volume of the Backyard Witch series focuses on Maya and her struggle after losing the spelling bee to one of her best friends, Sadie. Maya's identity is tied to her spelling success, so losing makes her sad and causes her to question who she is without the "best speller" moniker. Cue Ms. M, the Backyard Witch of the title - though this time she shows up as the substitute librarian. Ms. M distracts Maya with a ghostly mystery in the library and, through helping Ms. M solve the mystery, a bit of quiet kindness to her brother, and the magic of some mnemonics, Maya does get past the hurt of losing and recognizes that she can try again in next year's spelling bee. Short chapters, age-appropriate vocabulary, and a message that doesn't hit the reader over the head make this book a hit. It should be shared with 2nd/3rd grader readers. The entire series is worth investing in; hopefully, there will be a fourth book.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hepperman, Christine
Illustrator: Marcero, Deborah
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780062338440
Price: 16.99