Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A family vacation to a lakeside cottage goes awry in this "Hansel & Gretel"--inspired ghost story, Pinto's debut. Indian Canadian 12-year-old Binita Bakshi has always felt embarrassed by her family ("If there was a prize for Most Embarrassing Things Parents Say, Bee's mom would be the undisputed champion," she thinks). And as one of the only brown-skinned families vacationing in the predominantly white town of Storm Lake, Bee's desire to fit in feels even more out of reach. She soon discovers a magical house across the lake where she can be "the version of yourself you want to be." There, she meets local girl Alina, who also has brown skin. Bee revels in their immediate friendship, but when Alina tells Bee about the legendary Gingerbread Witch who lives near Storm Lake, things around town take on a sinister aura. As her vacation becomes plagued by unsettling happenings, Bee endeavors to unravel the mystery behind the witch with the help of Alina and new friend Lucas, who reads as white. Bee's self-effacing personality and her embarrassment of her family is occasionally overwrought, distracting from the lively plot and multifaceted tween cast. Ages 8--12. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--Bee should be with her bestie in Florida at the Betsy Chillers amusement park for the exclusive release of the fictional sleuth's latest horror installment. Instead, she's spending the week at Storm Lake, forced to listen to her father spout odd facts, her mother boast about bargains, her granny hum random showtunes. How could anyone not be embarrassed with a family like that? Meeting the neighbors offers no relief--"weird kid" Lucas definitely needs to be avoided. The week improves when Bee meets cool-girl Alina, but what of the local witch? Dutt showcases a versatile range, as believable as tween Bee as lyrically accented Granny. Dutt also adeptly channels judgmental BFF Kitty, manipulative Alina, down-to-earth Mom, and trusting Lucas. VERDICT Dutt bestows aural enhancement to debut author Pinto's homage to "Hansel and Gretel"--cleverly updated with mischievous loons, peach pickles, and ghost-seeing goggles.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Bee assumed her family vacation would be boring; instead, she finds herself haunted and hunted by the Gingerbread Witch. Twelve-year-old Indian Canadian Binita "Bee" Bakshi is embarrassed by her family. Her father is loud, her mother is a cheapskate, and her beloved Granny incessantly hums show tunes. Most embarrassing of all, however, is Bee herself. Her frizzy hair, tan skin, and secondhand clothes mark her as different when all she wants is to fit in. Bee finds solace in horror books featuring the fearless Betsy Chillers taking on paranormal threats. When her family decides to spend a week without Wi-Fi at a cottage on Storm Lake, however, Bee finds that the lessons from her favorite series are far from hypothetical. Something in the forest is watching her, something in the water wants to hurt her, and she can't shake the smell of gingerbread. As Bee works with new friends Lucas, who is coded white, and brown-skinned Alina to unravel the sinister mysteries of Storm Lake, she must confront ghosts both past and present. Full of twists, genuine scares, and satisfying reveals, this debut is sure to please readers in search of a thrill. Gingerbread is plentiful in this spooky "Hansel and Gretel" retelling, but the lessons about friendship are sweeter still. (Supernatural. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
