Growing Up & Facts of Life
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Witchlings
Disney's The Owl House meets Nevermoor, in a brilliant new adventure from New York Times bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega!
Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches.
And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare!
Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings―and will lose their magic.
Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever.
But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all…
With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega's signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won't be able to put down this middle-grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.
Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches.
And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare!
Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings―and will lose their magic.
Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail... Well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever.
But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all…
With action-packed adventure, a coven of quirky witchlings, Claribel A. Ortega's signature humor, and girl-power vibes, you won't be able to put down this middle-grade Latine witch story, perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers or Harry Potter.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Witchlings:
"Magic, friendship, and humor―an enchanting read." ―Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series
"Inventive. Magical. Enchanting. An absolutely charming tale with its heart rooted in the friendships we make and keep." ―J.C. Cervantes, bestselling author of The Storm Runner series
"A gorgeous tale of determination and magic." --Booklist
"Energetic and intelligent; invites readers to question their assumptions and the status quo." --Kirkus Reviews
"Centering three resourceful, sympathetic protagonists and considering issues of exploitation and privilege, Witchlings interweaves Spanish phrases, contemporary elements, and well-grounded magical worldbuilding."―Publishers Weekly
Praise for Claribel A. Ortega's Ghost Squad:
One of NPR's Best Books of 2020
A Good Morning America Summer Reading Squad pick
"Ghost Squad is a charming adventure full of girl power and heart." ―Zoraida Córdova, author of The Way to Rio Luna and the Brooklyn Brujas series
"Ghost Squad manages to be both creepy and heartwarming, fulfilling a need for stories that are both deeply relatable and culturally specific. Highly recommended for kids looking for a spooky read, a whole lot of feelings, and a story they'll not soon forget." ―Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift and The Insiders
* "A peppering of pop culture references add humor, but it's the personal touches, such as Lucely's opinionated, ever-present ancestors; her dedication to those she loves; and an emphasis on Latinx food, love, and folklore, that gives this debut its distinctive spirit." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Dark humor, mystical vibes, and pop-culture references abound in this action-packed ghost hunt. A feel-good, phantasmagorical adventure that readers won't want to miss." ―Booklist
"While it's undeniably a ghost story, Lucely's love for her family, both corporeal and spirit, carries the narrative, giving it warmth and depth...
"Magic, friendship, and humor―an enchanting read." ―Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of the Tristan Strong series
"Inventive. Magical. Enchanting. An absolutely charming tale with its heart rooted in the friendships we make and keep." ―J.C. Cervantes, bestselling author of The Storm Runner series
"A gorgeous tale of determination and magic." --Booklist
"Energetic and intelligent; invites readers to question their assumptions and the status quo." --Kirkus Reviews
"Centering three resourceful, sympathetic protagonists and considering issues of exploitation and privilege, Witchlings interweaves Spanish phrases, contemporary elements, and well-grounded magical worldbuilding."―Publishers Weekly
Praise for Claribel A. Ortega's Ghost Squad:
One of NPR's Best Books of 2020
A Good Morning America Summer Reading Squad pick
"Ghost Squad is a charming adventure full of girl power and heart." ―Zoraida Córdova, author of The Way to Rio Luna and the Brooklyn Brujas series
"Ghost Squad manages to be both creepy and heartwarming, fulfilling a need for stories that are both deeply relatable and culturally specific. Highly recommended for kids looking for a spooky read, a whole lot of feelings, and a story they'll not soon forget." ―Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift and The Insiders
* "A peppering of pop culture references add humor, but it's the personal touches, such as Lucely's opinionated, ever-present ancestors; her dedication to those she loves; and an emphasis on Latinx food, love, and folklore, that gives this debut its distinctive spirit." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Dark humor, mystical vibes, and pop-culture references abound in this action-packed ghost hunt. A feel-good, phantasmagorical adventure that readers won't want to miss." ―Booklist
"While it's undeniably a ghost story, Lucely's love for her family, both corporeal and spirit, carries the narrative, giving it warmth and depth...
Readers Top Reviews
monster reader
This is so much more than a book! It's absolutely teeming with magic, joy, and so many interesting, fantastic lessons that I feel like anyone could learn from. It's meant for kids in middle school but I actually can see this book being popular with readers of a wide age range, mostly because it's interesting and actually very funny. I'm highly recommending it to everyone.
Crwnls monster
It’s like the author took all my grips with Harry Potter and fixed them and created this lovely, vibrant tale. I loved the characters and how they grew both together and separately throughout the book, I loved the twists at the end and realising things that had been hinted at throughout the book.
KatiCrwnls mons
Witchlings is a toad-ally charming tale of 3 witches on a epic quest of belonging in a world of covens & magical beasts. I love how this story explored not only friendship & belonging, but also the injustices of class systems. Seven, Thorn, and Valley, despite their differences, come together to stand up for themselves. Very empowering! 🪄 Having the super awesome character artwork on the cover really helped bring these characters to life. Sooo cute! also the illustration of Edgar Allen Toad?? FROGGIN' ADORABLE!
Olivia F.KatiCrwn
WITCHLINGS is a charming and enthralling middle grade fantasy that follows 12-year-old Seven, a witchling who aspires to join the most powerful coven. When everything goes wrong, and Seven is designated as a Spare, it feels like things can't get any worse - until she and other Spares are unable to seal their coven. Their only other option is an impossible task: to fell a Nightbeast. Seven, Valley, and Thorn set out to do the impossible and in the process find themselves. What I loved: This was such a consuming and engaging story. The combination of quest, sisterhood, and magic was absolutely delightful. Seven is a particularly compelling character, and she develops a lot during the story. Her growth and character arc really made this all the more enthralling, and the fast-paced plot with an impossible quest made it even more unputdownable. Each of the three main witchlings, Seven, Valley, and Thorn are really great characters, and together, they make for a really enjoyable read. The world-building is also really strong and crafts an intriguing new world that I would be eager to see more from. Final verdict: With compelling characters and a fast-paced plot, WITCHLINGS is sure to enchant middle grade fantasy readers. Fans of Percy Jackson, Morrigan Crow, and The Wizards of Once need to read this new magical book. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
EmilyOlivia F.Kat
We were lucky enough to get an early copy of this magical story — and we are so happy to have a final copy now too! I loved reading Seven's story aloud to my kids (6 and 8 years old), and they got all caught up in her adventures, rooting her on and delighted as she became friends with tough girl Valley and shy Thorn. I also loved that once we were done, my 8 year old returned to re-read the book on her own, staying up late giggling. I think it was the first time she picked up a chapter book to read solo like that — or at least, the longest! If you're looking for a new excellent read-aloud, or a start to a welcoming new magical series for your kids, read it!
