2 out of 4 stars
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It’s no secret that most children love magical stories. There is just something special about reading about the extraordinary that entrances young readers and makes them wish they had magical powers too! In Ronald Craig’s The Little Witch and the Lost Boy, young readers will get the chance to satisfy their cravings for both magic and adventure!
In the story, readers are introduced to a young witch named Sophina, who comes from a mysterious family in England. Together with her owl friend, Toots, Sophina finds herself in all kinds of situations. One day she is given a mission from the “Order of the Feathers” to investigate the disappearance of Toot’s famous grandfather. Along the way, many family secrets start to come to light and she meets Dillwyn, a boy whose family disappeared after their encounter with the “Red Witch.” Now Sophina has to figure out how to help her friends and protect herself from the dark forces that are trying to stand in her way.
The Little Witch and the Lost Boy is available in audio book form, print or digitally. The audio book is read by Colin Cassidy who is a voiceover producer. His voice perfectly complements the story. He reads in a clear and captivating way that really draws readers to the story. In fact, his reading of the book makes the plot more exciting and less confusing than if a reader were to read the book digitally or in print.
Although I enjoyed Cassidy’s voiceover and Craig’s cover illustration, the book has quite a few negatives. One of the biggest negatives was the plot of the book. The plot was rushed and perplexed. It constantly jumped from one scene to another without any significant development. In the story, there were too many main plots. The story starts off with one plot about the disappearance of Toot’s grandfather and then quickly jumps to Dillwyn’s story. After that, it jumps again to another plot with no development to the first two. I found myself struggling to stay interested in the story.
Another negative was with the protagonist, Sophina. The author constantly refers to her as a strong-willed and brave girl, but there is nothing in the book that truly demonstrates those attributes. Also, in children’s books, it is important for the young protagonist to do things on their own without an adult’s help or presence. In Sophina’s case, everything that she did was by the instruction of an adult or an older figure. There wasn’t a single thing she did solely of her own will and curiosity. She’s a character that young readers will have a hard time connecting with.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. I gave it two stars because of Colin Cassidy’s voiceover and Craig’s beautiful cover illustration. I can’t award anymore because of the confusing plot and the protagonist. If the book were longer and properly developed its plots, I would give it another star. If Sophina was relatable and more independent, that would be a star as well. Unfortunately, for now, two stars is the highest I can rate this book.
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The Little Witch
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