In Control, Ms. Wiz?

Gr 2-4 Originally published in England about 20 years ago, these short chapter books introduce a problem-solving witch with a strong sense of community consciousness. In "Jail", with the aid of some magic from Ms. Wiz and a little courage of her own, a girl heroically saves the neighborhood felines, including her own beloved Waif, from being turned into expensive mittens. In "Control", Ms. Wiz saves the local library from closing down by bringing influential people to life from the library's booksa potentially interesting spell that isn't fully explored. Neither of these installments creates a strong sense of who Ms. Wiz is; she is quite one-dimensional for one supposedly so magical. Although Ross's illustrations add a zany charm, both of these titles rely on weak humor and thin plotlines."Lauren Anduri, Brooklyn Public Library, NY" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.