Rating: I like it BUT some families may not

Reading Level: Mid-late Elementary

If you like the quirky silliness of The Princess Bride and the reverse roles of Shreck, then this book will be a winner. Several times I laughed out loud while reading (that doesn’t happen often for me!).

Possible Concerns:

  • Witches/Wizards. I think the biggest dealbreaker for some families would be that there is a witch and there is a wizard, and they are both painted in a quite positive light. Both are full of eclectic personality and quite likable once you get past the gruff outside layer. If your child is interested in witchcraft then there is the danger of them thinking that witches and wizards aren’t so bad and I don’t recommend this book. That said, the book is child’s play compared to Harry Potter… (e.g. The witch’s favorite defense is to turn attackers into frogs.) The story is way more mild than most Disney Princess movies, but still has that clever writing that makes it entertaining for adults.

I don’t like having books with witchcraft in my home, but this one is so light and comical, clever and fresh that I’m making an exception. There is definitely a strong message that translates to the real world: complex characters are worth getting to know before you go making judgements about them.