Gr 7—10—From a fantasy illustrator comes a dark and twisted fairy tale in which a toad wakes up dangling over a bubbling cauldron. Her memory nonexistent, she manages to escape into the Witches' Kitchen, only to find that it is endless, constantly changing, and full of malevolent creatures wishing to eat her. While Toad desperately searches for a way out of the kitchen and the witches' evil grasp, she encounters unlikely companions including an iron-handed artistic imp named Natterjack and a fairy with swords for wings. Witch sisters Sarafina and Emilina desperately want to kill Toad for her magic before her new friends help her to recover her memory or escape the kitchen. Williams's pencil illustrations are the high point of this book. As the story unfolds, each darkly terrifying creature is more sinister and threatening than the one before, from skeletal birds to demons. Williams leaves the story with some unfinished plot twists and hints of a sequel. The writing is at times choppy, and with so many characters introduced, some readers may find the story difficult to follow. However, true aficionados of dark fantasy will savor this disturbing tale and take the time to sort out the characters and plot twists and turns.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA
Toad, desperate to flee from captivity, undertakes a journey into the dark Witches' Kitchen. Unaware of the evil that surrounds her, Toad relies on an Imp, a fairy, and other Wickerfolk to navigate the mysterious and dangerous terrain filled with threats, sneak attacks, and narrow escapes. The imaginative setting and suspense-filled plot make for a captivating fantasy.
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