From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-After 30 years at witch school, best friends Heckie and Dora plan to settle down in a small town, Do Good, and make the world a better place. But when they quarrel on graduation day, Heckie is left to carry on alone. She recruits a wacky bunch of helpers to form the Wellbridge Wickedness Hunters: three children, a dragworm familiar, a garden witch, a former witch beauty queen, a wizard hot-air-balloon enthusiast, and a wizard endeavoring to make a walking cheese. At first, all seems to go well. Heckie uses her power to turn humans into animals to rid the town of wicked people and supplement the animal population of the local zoo. However, her plans begin to go awry when she meets a slick furrier who wants to exploit her talents to obtain rare snow leopard pelts. Fans of Ibbotson's other humorous fantasies will be pleased to see more of the same here. The story moves at a satisfying pace and the characters provide just the right balance of silliness and sagacity, masking any moralizing with satire. The black-and-white illustrations add wit and fancy to the book. This light fantasy will not just bewitch, but will bring peals of laughter, too.
Heather Dieffenbach, Lexington Public Library, KYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. Two witches, longtime best friends at their school (their motto was "Witches against Wickedness"), vow to use their powers to make this world a better place. At graduation, however, the women feud, then go their separate ways until a dastardly villain tricks them into casting wicked spells for his benefit. The witches eventually draw together again and work to undo the magic they have done. The fast-moving plot, sympathetic characters, and moments of humor keep the story humming along to its satisfying conclusion. Hawkes' skillful, imaginative ink drawings add to the atmosphere and to the fun. Not a memorable fantasy, perhaps, but an enjoyable, light story that blends magic with everyday life in a way that children will find quite satisfying.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
