This middle-grade haunted-forest witch adventure from horror pro Johnson (author of Shy Grove among other titles) finds twelve-year-old Hadley stuck at her grandmother’s house, ready to call summer vacation a bust. But Hadley discovers that there’s a little more magic to her family than she ever realized and when a mysterious girl shows up, family secrets are forced out into the open, and Hadley’s grandmother gives her a grimoire, lessons in magic, and dire warnings about not drawing too much power from animals, people, or herself. Now, Hadley finds herself in a race against time to rescue those she loves from something dark, but does she have the courage and control to fight—and to plunge deep into the very woods her grandmother warned her against entering?

Young readers will connect to Hadley’s fear, excitement, and eagerness to learn magic, understand her heritage, and face the kind of weird, inventive dangers that Johnson doesn’t skimp on just because of his audience’s age. (The book’s the fun kind of scary, fortunately.) The darkness, though, is not only in the woods, as all along Hadley feels her own inner turmoil in the aftermath of the death of her father in a tragic accident. In her grief and guilt, she tries to cast blame elsewhere for the accident, though she secretly—as Johnson demonstrates in a supernatural encounter—blames herself. The external drama, meanwhile, plays out with an engaging variety of action and whimsy, though the cycle of dangers and unexpected rescue becomes familiar. Johnson spices all this with welcome wisdom about the price of adventures: “To save the life of another, you must give a bit of yours.”

Hadley’s adventure through the magical woods behind her grandma’s house is harrowing, as she comes face-to-face with devious foes, such as shriekers and darklings, but also a variety of new friends, such as a Puckwudgie named Gristle. Young readers will delight in the fairylike elements of Hadley’s journey as she must summon magic in order to protect herself from the evil forces out to get her. Fantasy fans of middle-grade adventures with a dash of witchery will enjoy Hadley’s magical quest.

Takeaway: Inventive adventure of a brave girl learning witch ways and facing dark woods.

Comparable Titles: Payal Doshi’s Rea and the Blood of the Nectar, Rena Barron’s Maya and the Rising Dark series

Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A