A Witch’s Last Resort (The
Terribles #2) by Travis Nichols, 213 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Random House,
2023. $13.99.
Language: G; Mature Content: G;
Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL –
ADVISABLE
APPEAL TO: SEVERAL
Most of the monsters have
settled down on Creep’s Cove, way far out in the middle of the ocean. The
monster kids attend Stubtoe Elementary and Elise, a greenish skinned girl with
raven hair and a long nose, has just arrived at the island where her mom runs a
seasonal resort for witches and sorcerers. She learns about a crazy complicated
game the young monsters and monster-adjacent humans play at recess, helps build
a greenhouse, debates why witches are better than scientists, and spends a day
at her mom’s spa with a couple of randomly chosen classmates. Some chapters
feature other characters, such as Bobby, a blob, and Lizzy, a reptilian
creature, having a playdate; and Vlad, a vampire, getting braces.
This “collection of stories”, as
the author calls the chapters, includes some that address the reader directly
with second-person pronouns and some that tell the story through comic strips.
One chapter is written completely in an unintelligible symbolic language and
another as a complete-your-own adventure with the reader playing the part of a
new student at Stubtoe. No matter the style, you will find humor, clever
monster references, illustrations, and a lot of heart and friendship
throughout.
Reviewer: P.K. Foster, MLS, elementary
school teacher-librarian
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