The Witch's Curse

The Kingdom of Wrenly #4

by Jordan Quinn, Robert McPhillips (Illustrator)

It’s up to Lucas and Clara to reverse a curse on the kingdom in this fourth chapter book in the fantastical Kingdom of Wrenly series.

Someone has cursed the Kingdom of Wrenly, making it rain nonstop for six whole days! The fields are in danger of flooding, which will ruin all the crops. Can Lucas and Clara figure out who’s behind the evil spell and stop the villain before it’s too late?

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Kingdom of Wrenly chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

Genres: Fantasy, Chapter Books, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Dragons, Audiobook

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Reviews

[Meg Mueller]

My daughter is still loving this series! One of our favorite things about reading this book is the conversation in predicting plot and comprehending what we’ve already read.

Although these books tend to catch heat for being childish and having weak plot lines, they have a way of helping young readers understand plot mechanics, characterization, and conflict resolution in an understandable way and I genuinely respect that about this series. On to the next book!

[Kathryn]

The premise of this one is just so ridiculous. Why would the king banish the witch for messing up on simple spells then later trust her with ending a curse that has wide reaching impact on the kingdom? Sigh. However, my son has asked for this three days in a row for our read aloud. So, it has appeal. And I do appreciate the message of not judging someone without evidence.

[Alex]

I did not like this book because rainy days. I also did not like this book because I do not like getting mud all over myself. I also did not like this book because I did not like the part when Lucas and Clara found out that the stick that witch was holding was a rain stick (the rain stick could summon rain storms).

[Mabearbooks]

Another great, fun little read but not quote packed with adventure like the previous books. Having said this though, these books are great for encouraging emerging and reluctant readers. They are fast paced, they will keep readers engaged and keep those pages turning. I was unaware that there are more books in the series and now I want to make my way through all of them and continue the fun.😊

[Darlene Hardy]

It's a good series.

[Andrew J]

Hmm.
In the fourth book of 'The Kingdom of Wrenly,' rain has fallen upon the kingdom for days, and if it doesn't stop soon, the farmers will have useless crops. Prince Lucas thinks that Grom, a wizard, cursed the kingdom with the eggshells of Lucas's scarlet dragon, Ruskin. Lucas then wants to go to see his best friend Clara, the daughter of Queen Tasha's servant to see if Clara can join him on horseback to Bogburp where a witch lives; a witch who used to work for his father, King Caleb.
Well...
I only have 2 problems with this book.
1.) I find it very hard to believe that both Lucas's parents and Clara's parents would allow Lucas and Clara to go places in such a seemingly endless rainstorm. Clara's parents know that if it keeps raining, their bakery will flood and destroy their bread supply, and Lucas's parents didn't even want him going on a trip in the first book without an adult. My parents never let me go outside just to play or walk to a friend's house when it was raining.
And 2.) It's kind of impossible for there to be a mystery about who has caused something when the title of the book gives it away. Just saying. When J.K. Rowling wrote her first book, the reader didn't as easily figure out who let the troll in because she the answer to the question wasn't given away in the title of the book. The only time I questioned if it maybe wasn't the witch, my doubt lasted a millisecond before I remembered this book's title.
*shrugs*

[Ellia]

there was a witch in there that was lying to get proof that she would be a hero🧙🏻‍♀️

[Zazie]

I bought the first 4 books of this series for my niece who is 4 years old this year. It's apparently for 8-12 year olds but you can read them to younger children. Just make sure you have a dictionary ready to search for new words that even you might not know the definitions of.

This story was a fun one and I'd recommend this to any child who loves stories about witches and princesses.

There's a lot of rain pouring and someone is blamed for it but it turned out to be a completely different person.

Read this story, as well as the rest of the series, with your kids or buy the books for them to read on their own. It's well worth the time it takes to read them all.

[Lu]

Was ok.

These are the words or phrases young readers might struggle with:

P1 pelted
Turret

P2-3 (cute illustration -toys)

P4 bloomers

P11 trumpets trilled

P14 garderobe
(Cute illustration of cat)

P17 scampered

P18 scraggly black hair

P41 bring cooped up

P42 how they’re faring

P45 spattered

P46 eaves
Jangled

P49 (illustration - bear toy)

P53 spongy bog
Peat
Peat moss

P55 grazed their horses

P56 tuft of land
Thatched roof

P61 rickety

P71 flicked

P72 a spot of tea

P73 waggled

P83 (weird -- baby dragon picking lock with his tongue)

P86 a bellows to stoke the fire

[Crazy about Books and Cats]

I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it! It is not my favorite out of the series, but it was still good. These books are very fast paced, so they are really easy to read and easy because they are elementary school level. In this one, Lucas and Clara go on an adventure to stop the rain curse. I did not like the witch in this at all. She was creepy and the way she was drawn was also creepy. If I read this when I was younger, I would have probably been scared of how she looked. As soon as I saw the witch I knew it was her who was causing the rain. While I did have suspicions of Grom, I knew he wouldn't do something like this. I love Ruskin and all of the pictures of him! He is just so cute!

[Angie]

My Review: This is quite an entertaining series, there is always something happening in Wrenly. I really like how this story had a great message behind it about not making an assumption about other people. James and Clara let their dislike guide them in their quest to stop the rain and they were lucky not to stumble into more trouble. It is a great book for young readers to be able to learn from and relate to while still be very entertained.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read)]

I read this with my 4 year old son and it was another fun addition to the series. I love the illustrations in this series so much! It's also really neat to explore the different parts of the kingdom throughout the books. My son loves flipping back to the map in the front of the book to see where the different places are and I think that's such a great skill for him to be developing.

[Efox]

Kid review: AMAZING! These books are incredible! I LOVE THEM.

Mom review: Meh. This one went back down after two slightly better editions. I think maybe I didn't love the very stereotypical ugly witch causing problems, being mean. Didn't love that we're perpetuating stereotypes of old ladies. But I did like the message of just because someone is an introvert and seems standoffish doesn't mean they're bad. But it was really muddled, and didn't come until the very end of the book so most of it was - introverted wizard is bad. So no, I actually didn't really like this one.

However, there are 4 more coming for Christmas because Kid review.

[Mathis]

This book was not scary but it was about tricks! I had a bad dream with a witch in it! But the witch was just a toy that was alive. That's what made it a bad dream. She was cruel. In the book the wizard was not really the bad guy even though he seemed like it!

[BriAnna]

"It was great! My favorite part was when they figured out who was responsible!" Myra age 6

[Andrea Wright]

Such a cute series with each book really trying to teach a lesson on behavior, morals, etc. Ready for book 5!

[Becka Ramaglia]

I love the lesson in this story. Don’t go blaming someone for something without proof!

[Lisa]

My 7 year old said this was a little bit scary and not quite as good as the first three books. Regardless, he’s excited to read the rest of the series.

[Payson]

In the series so far I think this one is the best because there’s also it’s of witches and there’s all sorts of spells and they think it’s one of the wizzards but it isn’t!

[Erin Root]

Great introductory chapter book for young readers that bridges illustration, large print, and an interesting story.

[Emma-Leigh]

I didn’t like this one as well as the other ones so far, but my kids are still fully engaged in the story. This is a great series for young kids.

[Katy Lovejoy]

I wish I found this series when I was younger so I could truly appreciate it

[Celeste Vandiver]

Love the pictures and the problem solving adventure.

[Barbara]

I am in love with this series for my first graders!

[Matthew]

Another fun beginner chapter book for kids who enjoy large type, pictures to help move their imaginations, and who like fantasy with witches, wizards, dragons, kingdoms, etc. My rating - 4/5

[Emily Foster]

Not my favorite one so far because the plot falls a bit short. My kids still love them though!

[Mari]

the witch's face is kinda icky

[Jack Kawata]

I think the book was a four star book because the witch 🧙‍♀️ made the curse.

[Alex]

I love these books!

[Karin]

We were expecting a bit more drama with this, maybe even some scary elements. But as usually everything remained very tame, and there was quick resolution.