William and the Witch's Riddle

July 15, 2016
There is more to the tale of "Sleeping Beauty" than has been told through the centuries.William's mother, Lirian, has been mysteriously gone for months. His father, Heldor, went for supplies days ago but did not return to their mountain home, leaving him alone with his little brother, Pinch. When Morga, the wicked, 13th witch of the familiar story, announces his father's death and makes demands and threats, William is faced with a terrifying dilemma. In order to keep Pinch safe and find their mother, he must accomplish three tasks that Morga sets forth in a convoluted riddle, with the goal of getting a missing item that will give her ultimate power. But he is brave and determined, and he finds help along the way in the form of a guardian appointed by Morga's 12 good sisters, a surprisingly astute mule, and Tuli, a size-shifting creature with a pet miniature dragon named Squarmy. William and readers both learn that Lirian is really Princess Bree, who married Heldor to live a simple life in hiding from Morga. William is a prince whose heroism will restore the right order of things. The characters are fully developed and are completely believable within the rules set by the genre. There is humor, heart-stopping action, magic of many sorts, and tender emotions of sacrifice, love, and loss. Crum draws readers into this evidently white fairy-tale world with detailed, descriptive language and inventive syntax. An exciting, neatly crafted adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-William and Pinch's mother disappeared years ago, and when their father left to go to the village, he didn't return. Now, the siblings are down to their last turnips. When a witch shows up on their doorstep, she demands that William solve a riddle. She claims that if he solves the riddle, it will lead him to his mother. Left with no choice, he delves into its mystery. As he follows the path of the riddle and searches for his parents, his adventure leads to encounters with a size-changing guardian fae, a pint-size dragon, a mysterious horse, poisonous GrimWyrms, an herbal witch, a cursed spindle, and more. The characters' engaging, well-developed personalities easily pull readers into William's world. The plot is simple, and the mystery could use a bit more developing, but it will appeal to younger middle grade readers who like fantasy, fractured fairy tales, and adventure. The illustrations are detailed and complement the story. VERDICT This "Sleeping Beauty" retelling is a good addition for most middle grade collections.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Grades 3-5 William and his little brother, Pinch, are abandoned in the cold winter when their father leaves to search for their missing mother. Left alone, they run into trouble when La Grande Morga, the witch of the faery folk, comes to tell the boys of their father's untimely death. Their father, she says, also made her a promise, and she insists that William keep it. When Morga threatens Pinch's life in exchange for the favor she feels she is owed, William knows he must find three magical items to please the witch, and help her locate an heirloom prize for her daughter, all while fending off the cold weather and dangers of his mountain home. Veteran author Crum is in fine form here, giving an adventure story that has just enough magic and scares to excite middle-grade readers. Morga is the quintessential wicked witch, and her story is woven into William's, making this novel twisty and original. A fast-paced story excellent for adventure lovers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)