Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A "mystery pet" provides a plucky, green-haired sorceress with an embodied experience of patience in this polished picture book. Purchasing a single white egg from the pet store, Evelyn Witch impatiently awaits the being's emergence, but when the creature fails to materialize, the proactive protagonist springs into action ("Sniveling snails! Something had to be done!"). She treks up a snowy mountain in an attempt to transform the egg into a unicorn, then rows out to sea in the hopes of hatching a narwhal. Ferry's wry tone makes for a lively read, and handmade textures soften Santoso's digital renderings, which add a dollop of humor with their characterizations of the heroine's impatience. When Evelyn discovers that giving the egg time may be more powerful than magic, the epiphany feels suitably transformational, foregrounding an approach that elevates care over force. Ages 3--6. (July)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
When a young witch acquires an egg that conceals a "mystery pet," she impatiently uses her magic to attempt to hatch it. Light-skinned, green-haired Evelyn Witch is sure that something's missing in her life. But her potions are "perfectly bubbling," and her hair is "perfectly messy." What could it be? On a trip to town, she wanders by the pet store and realizes she needs a companion. The text--previously simple sentences--now adds jaunty rhyme and rhythm to describe creatures ranging from "bats, and rats, and plump pink cats" to "griffins, and spiders, and fish who were biters." Counting her change, Evelyn has only enough for the cheapest item, the mystery pet: a cardboard box containing a plain white egg. What animal might it conceal? And will it ever emerge? Playful text paired with vignettes of the frustrated Evelyn watching over the egg make the young witch's displeasure clear: Waiting is hard! Next stop: the library, for a book of creature-hatching magic. Evelyn treks over mountains, sails seas, and explores a cave, casting delightfully rhyming spells--to no avail. But after a heartwarming epiphany--and a lesson in the value of patience--Evelyn and readers alike are rewarded with a perfect result. Comical, scribbly art--a creative mix of panels and full-page spreads--complements the text, whose extensive vocabulary is couched in conversational syntax; Evelyn's frequent exclamation of "Sniveling snails!" is a particular delight. Fun for witches in training and aspiring pet owners alike.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
