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Witch Wars #1
Witch Wars
When Fran the Fabulous Fairy turns up in Tiga Whicabim's shed to tell her she's a witch, Tiga doesn't believe her. Or at least not until Fran points out that TIGA WHICABIM is actually an anagram of I AM A BIG WITCH and magics her away down the drainpipes to compete in Witch Wars – the competition to crown the next Top Witch of Ritzy City.
Filled with silly spells, delectable dresses, ridiculous riddles and a serious shoe problem, Witch Wars is a witch story like no other. Although if you enjoyed The Worst Witch or Witchworld, you'll love this too!
Filled with silly spells, delectable dresses, ridiculous riddles and a serious shoe problem, Witch Wars is a witch story like no other. Although if you enjoyed The Worst Witch or Witchworld, you'll love this too!
266 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2015
55 people are currently reading
1334 people want to read
About the author
Sibéal Pounder
38 books119 followersSibéal has written for publications including The Guardian, fashion trend forecaster WGSN, Vogue.com and The Financial Times, where she was the resident philanthropy columnist for the How To Spend It section for six years. She studied Modern History at St Andrews and Quentin Tarantino film at Yale.
Her bestselling debut Witch Wars has been translated into 10 languages so far and was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.
Her bestselling debut Witch Wars has been translated into 10 languages so far and was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
December 16, 2020
Uma coisa besta mas que eu amo nessa série de livros é que não tem nenhum homem kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk sao só bruxas e não tem personagens homens e isso nunca é comentado tipo ah cade os homens? não. eles não existem nesse universo e ta tudo bem kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
É bem divertidinho. Comprei o ultimo a uns tempos atras sem saber que era o ultimo de uma serie de livros e resolvi comprar a serie toda pra ler. É meio jogos vorazes com harry potter com livro infantil. Muito divertidinho e fácil e rápido de ler.
É bem divertidinho. Comprei o ultimo a uns tempos atras sem saber que era o ultimo de uma serie de livros e resolvi comprar a serie toda pra ler. É meio jogos vorazes com harry potter com livro infantil. Muito divertidinho e fácil e rápido de ler.
March 22, 2020
CELA RECENZIJA 👇
http://knjigazadusu.blogspot.com/2020...
...
Šta da vam kažem, dragi moji knjigoljupci. Ovde vas čeka puno čarolija, divnog druženja sa šarmantnim vešticama i avanture magičnim Cevozemljem. Ako ste za, Blistograd vam šalje Viki da vas odvede u ovu nezaboravnu avanturu. Samo vodite računa. Viki je vila, ali je nikako ne zovite "vilo", ona to ne voli. Nemojte je naljutiti, biće vam odličan vodič kroz ovaj čaroban svet.
http://knjigazadusu.blogspot.com/2020...
...
Šta da vam kažem, dragi moji knjigoljupci. Ovde vas čeka puno čarolija, divnog druženja sa šarmantnim vešticama i avanture magičnim Cevozemljem. Ako ste za, Blistograd vam šalje Viki da vas odvede u ovu nezaboravnu avanturu. Samo vodite računa. Viki je vila, ali je nikako ne zovite "vilo", ona to ne voli. Nemojte je naljutiti, biće vam odličan vodič kroz ovaj čaroban svet.
November 20, 2019
4.5 ⭐
Duhovito, magično i sjajno!
Zabluda je da su veštice zle, dronjave i da nose šiljate šešire. One su elegantne, zabavne i luckaste. Ljudi stvarno svašta izmišljaju. 😆
Brzo se čita, a ilustracije je čine jos zanimljivijom. Knjiga za male i velike veštice.
Duhovito, magično i sjajno!
Zabluda je da su veštice zle, dronjave i da nose šiljate šešire. One su elegantne, zabavne i luckaste. Ljudi stvarno svašta izmišljaju. 😆
Brzo se čita, a ilustracije je čine jos zanimljivijom. Knjiga za male i velike veštice.
November 3, 2021
3.5 STARS A breezy read. I found it entertaining though I'm not sure it engaged me enough to be four stars. I didn't feel particularly emotionally invested in the characters, though I did find the plot and world-building interesting and original and the writing style generally pleasing (though the quirky humor worked better for me at some times than others). The illustrations are fun (love the witchy fashion world!) and add to the story. I did love the ending, it surprised me in a good way. This appears to be a series and, while I'm not running right out to get book two, I wouldn't turn it down in the future.
February 11, 2020
When Tiga Whicabim, who leads a miserable life with her cruel guardian Miss Heks, suddenly finds herself confronted by a fairy named Fran, who insists that she (Tiga) is a witch, the young girl isn't sure what to believe. But then she is sucked down a drainpipe to Ritzy City, a vast underground settlement populated by witches, and discovers that she has been entered into the Witch Wars contest. A televised competition, in which nine nine-year-old witches vie for the right to rule Ritzy City for nine years, Witch Wars introduces Tiga to a whole new world. Here, in this beautiful city where everything is black and white, she makes her first true friends - fellow competitors Peggy Pigwiggle and Fluffanora Brew - and gets a glimpse of a happier life. But will she be allowed to stay, if she doesn't win...? And how did she come to be nominated for Witch Wars at all, when she knows no one in Ritzy City...?
The first in a series of lighthearted fantasy novels featuring Tiga and the witches of Ritzy City, Witch Wars reminded me in turn of the Harry Potter books, the Hunger Games trilogy, and a certain kind of very girlish fantasy. The revelation that Tiga is actually a witch - her full name is an acronym for "I Am a Big Witch" - recalls similar developments in Rowling's initial Harry Potter novel, with fairy Fran taking Hagrid's place as the messenger who reveals the heroine's true destiny. The actual Witch Wars competition, with its televised orchestration by Brollywood (the entertainment sector of Ritzy City) put me in mind of the Hunger Games that Katnis and Peeta must enter in Suzanne Collins' dystopian future, although Pounder's competition is far more benign, with no lives threatened. This felt like a very feminine fantasy to me, not just because all of the characters are women and girls - are there no men in Ritzy City, or do they simply appear 'off-screen?' Have witches learned how to procreate without both sexes, if not, how do they have children..? none of this is addressed in the book - but also because there is great emphasis on elegant dress and appearance, with Tiga's introduction to the joys of high fashion feeling like nothing so much as wish-fulfillment of the middle-grade girl variety.
Despite the many parallels and similarities that struck me, while reading Witch Wars, I also found Sibéal Pounder's debut novel original, quirky, and often entertaining in its own right. The accompanying artwork by Laura Ellen Anderson really captures the madcap sense of fun here, and the enchantment of Tiga's adventures. Although not destined to become a personal favorite, I do think this is a fantasy novel that young girls in particular will enjoy.
The first in a series of lighthearted fantasy novels featuring Tiga and the witches of Ritzy City, Witch Wars reminded me in turn of the Harry Potter books, the Hunger Games trilogy, and a certain kind of very girlish fantasy. The revelation that Tiga is actually a witch - her full name is an acronym for "I Am a Big Witch" - recalls similar developments in Rowling's initial Harry Potter novel, with fairy Fran taking Hagrid's place as the messenger who reveals the heroine's true destiny. The actual Witch Wars competition, with its televised orchestration by Brollywood (the entertainment sector of Ritzy City) put me in mind of the Hunger Games that Katnis and Peeta must enter in Suzanne Collins' dystopian future, although Pounder's competition is far more benign, with no lives threatened. This felt like a very feminine fantasy to me, not just because all of the characters are women and girls - are there no men in Ritzy City, or do they simply appear 'off-screen?' Have witches learned how to procreate without both sexes, if not, how do they have children..? none of this is addressed in the book - but also because there is great emphasis on elegant dress and appearance, with Tiga's introduction to the joys of high fashion feeling like nothing so much as wish-fulfillment of the middle-grade girl variety.
Despite the many parallels and similarities that struck me, while reading Witch Wars, I also found Sibéal Pounder's debut novel original, quirky, and often entertaining in its own right. The accompanying artwork by Laura Ellen Anderson really captures the madcap sense of fun here, and the enchantment of Tiga's adventures. Although not destined to become a personal favorite, I do think this is a fantasy novel that young girls in particular will enjoy.
May 4, 2015
Witch Wars is funny and fabulous (and that's just the outfits!). It has THE most perfect illustrations, and a map, too! With names like Brollywood, and Clutterbucks to visit, it's the perfect place for a bit of Witchy Wandering!
Tiga Whicabim is nine years old and lives with a miserable old bat called Miss Hek, who in turn refers to her as 'brat' and serves cheese water for tea. She spends most of her time in the garden shed by herself, until she meets Fran, The Fabulous Fairy, who tries to tell Tiga that she is a witch.
Tiga protests that she's not a witch, she's never met a witch, nor does she have any desire to be one. Yet, despite her pleas, Fran The Fabulous Fairy explains that not only is her name, Tiga Whicabim, an anagram of 'I AM A BIG WITCH', she was nominated by someone who believes she can win the biggest contest of Sinkville - WITCH WARS!
But how can she stand any chance of winning when she doesn't know any spells? She's still in her jeans and doesn't even look like a witch! And who could have nominated her?
Thank goodness Witch Wars has evolved over the years and it isn't a fight to the death anymore. It's more a battle of wits: there are some puzzles to be solved, general weirdness to contend with, but above all, you must stay one step ahead, as not everyone plays by the rules...
This story is delightfully refreshing and has some fantastic personalities. Whether you're young, old, or prefer not to admit to either, it's such a joy to read. I LOVED IT.
Actual rating, 4.5 / 5.
(My sincere thanks to the author for my copy of Witch Wars, which I was lucky enough to win via a recent giveaway on their website.)
Tiga Whicabim is nine years old and lives with a miserable old bat called Miss Hek, who in turn refers to her as 'brat' and serves cheese water for tea. She spends most of her time in the garden shed by herself, until she meets Fran, The Fabulous Fairy, who tries to tell Tiga that she is a witch.
Tiga protests that she's not a witch, she's never met a witch, nor does she have any desire to be one. Yet, despite her pleas, Fran The Fabulous Fairy explains that not only is her name, Tiga Whicabim, an anagram of 'I AM A BIG WITCH', she was nominated by someone who believes she can win the biggest contest of Sinkville - WITCH WARS!
But how can she stand any chance of winning when she doesn't know any spells? She's still in her jeans and doesn't even look like a witch! And who could have nominated her?
Thank goodness Witch Wars has evolved over the years and it isn't a fight to the death anymore. It's more a battle of wits: there are some puzzles to be solved, general weirdness to contend with, but above all, you must stay one step ahead, as not everyone plays by the rules...
This story is delightfully refreshing and has some fantastic personalities. Whether you're young, old, or prefer not to admit to either, it's such a joy to read. I LOVED IT.
Actual rating, 4.5 / 5.
(My sincere thanks to the author for my copy of Witch Wars, which I was lucky enough to win via a recent giveaway on their website.)
June 16, 2022
Now this is how you do witches with style! A charming book filled with glamourous and fun witches accompanied by fabulous illustrations to match. Sibeal and Laura-Ellen make such a fabulous duo together!
The main characters are adorable, sweet and strong, often times bellying their age. Fran the Fabulous Fairy is hilarious! I can picture Miranda Hart playing her perfectly. I loved how all the Witches were portrayed, reversing the stereotypical witch appearance into something more positive, inspiring and stylish. It was very clever the explanation behind how some witches became to be; i.e. pointy hats, warty noses, I guess that's what travelling through pipes will do to one.
My inner child-reader is stoked about this series; fashion, magic and witches what more could you ask for? This is a light-hearted and whimsical read, simple and quick in its pacing. It's all fun and games, quite literally. There are a few references for witches of all ages to enjoy this funny series.
Put on your most fabulous black hats darlings for a trip down the pipes to the fabulous land of witches called Ritzy City.
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CezZGFCv6...
The main characters are adorable, sweet and strong, often times bellying their age. Fran the Fabulous Fairy is hilarious! I can picture Miranda Hart playing her perfectly. I loved how all the Witches were portrayed, reversing the stereotypical witch appearance into something more positive, inspiring and stylish. It was very clever the explanation behind how some witches became to be; i.e. pointy hats, warty noses, I guess that's what travelling through pipes will do to one.
My inner child-reader is stoked about this series; fashion, magic and witches what more could you ask for? This is a light-hearted and whimsical read, simple and quick in its pacing. It's all fun and games, quite literally. There are a few references for witches of all ages to enjoy this funny series.
Put on your most fabulous black hats darlings for a trip down the pipes to the fabulous land of witches called Ritzy City.
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CezZGFCv6...
January 9, 2018
Hoewel ik in het begin erg twijfelde over het boek, vond ik het uiteindelijk toch wel leuk!
De volledige recensie staat op mijn blog
De volledige recensie staat op mijn blog
June 29, 2018
2.5 stars
Tiga Whicabim is resigned to her dreary, horrid life hiding in a shed from her terrible cheese-making guardian Miss Heks. Then Fern the Fabulous Fairy shows up and informs Tiga that she is actually a witch! Tiga is in disbelief until Fern whisks Tiga down the pipes to a magical black and white world where she is expected to compete in Witch Wars. The winner gets to stay in the glamorous Ritzy City while the loser has to go home. For Tiga, that means above the pipes, back to Miss Heks. When Tiga meets the other competitors she realizes she HAS to beat the mean, awful Felicity Bat. Accompanied by her new friends Fluffanora and Peggy Pigwiggle, Tiga sets out to win Witch Wars so she can stay in Ritzy City.
Does the synopsis sound familiar? This story does have a few similarities to Harry Potter but it's the anti-Harry. This one is all fluff and light and a complete fantasy. The author plucked fun ideas out of her imagination, made up some rhyming phrases for spells and voila- witch world. I found the setting just too fluffy and superficial for my taste. The author had a lot of fun ideas for places that were only briefly touched on. I did not like the early emphasis on appearance/fashion and celebrity status but never fear readers, some of the characters and themes are the same as Harry Potter, such as the importance of kindness and friendship. I liked that emphasis a lot and of course if you are familiar with the Tri-Wizard Tournament, you know or think you know, how this is going to end (before the portkey to the graveyard). There is a slight but predictable plot twist at the end. I did eventually get into the adventure and had a hard time putting the book down.
Tiga is obviously parallel to Harry. She's been living in a horrible situation with a nasty guardian. She makes new friends and discovers the fun witch world and never wants to leave. She tangles with a mean girl and learns more about her past along the way. I liked Tiga because she's practical, sensible and of course because she's kind. I liked Peggy better though. I could relate to poor Peggy, the Neville Longbottom of this series. Like Neville, Peggy is clumsy and poor at spells. Like Ron she comes from a less privileged background, earning the sneers of Felicity Bat. Peggy is super sweet and a great friend. She may not be the most practical witch around but she's a loyal friend. I didn't like reading about her being bullied by Felicity Bat. I think children will want to root for Peggy as much as Tiba. Fluffanora is a fun friend. She's fashionable but fascinated by Tiga's jeans! She's a real true friend to Tiga when Tiga needs a friend. Fluffanora refuses to be friends with Aggie Hoof who is dying to be a part of Fluffanora's fashionable world just for free stuff. I appreciated how Fluffanora has little patience for the Witch Wars. I did not like how rude Fluffanora was to her mother and how her mother just puts up with her child's behavior.
Felicity Bat is obviously the man girl of the story. She's the Draco Malfoy character who thinks money and heritage can beat kindness and loyalty. I know they're witches and she admires an ancestor who was a bad witch. I think J.K. Rowling did a lot to make witches cool and this author makes them mean again. However, like the Harry Potter world, these witches do have various personalities. I also like the diverse skin shades depicted in the illustrations. Felicity's sidekick, Aggie Hoof, is the richest girl in the story. She's obsessed with the witch version of Glamour/Vogue or whatever fashion magazine you choose. She puts up with Felicity Bat's unkindness and does whatever Felicity Bat wants her to. They're both mean to sweet Peggy and to Tiga as well. I can't remember the other witches. Their personalities are pretty bland.
The fairies annoyed the heck out of me. Fran is ditzy, egotistical and irritating. The other fairies have various personalities but mostly seem to be grumpy.
I am not sure my niece will like this book. She loves witches (kitschy witches) but she's not too interested in fashion yet. She's somewhat familiar with the Harry Potter world so I don't know if this superficial witch world will appeal to her. She also likes slightly scary stories! I would not recommend this to Harry Potter fans but would suggest reading it out loud to a girly girl 6-8 year old.
Tiga Whicabim is resigned to her dreary, horrid life hiding in a shed from her terrible cheese-making guardian Miss Heks. Then Fern the Fabulous Fairy shows up and informs Tiga that she is actually a witch! Tiga is in disbelief until Fern whisks Tiga down the pipes to a magical black and white world where she is expected to compete in Witch Wars. The winner gets to stay in the glamorous Ritzy City while the loser has to go home. For Tiga, that means above the pipes, back to Miss Heks. When Tiga meets the other competitors she realizes she HAS to beat the mean, awful Felicity Bat. Accompanied by her new friends Fluffanora and Peggy Pigwiggle, Tiga sets out to win Witch Wars so she can stay in Ritzy City.
Does the synopsis sound familiar? This story does have a few similarities to Harry Potter but it's the anti-Harry. This one is all fluff and light and a complete fantasy. The author plucked fun ideas out of her imagination, made up some rhyming phrases for spells and voila- witch world. I found the setting just too fluffy and superficial for my taste. The author had a lot of fun ideas for places that were only briefly touched on. I did not like the early emphasis on appearance/fashion and celebrity status but never fear readers, some of the characters and themes are the same as Harry Potter, such as the importance of kindness and friendship. I liked that emphasis a lot and of course if you are familiar with the Tri-Wizard Tournament, you know or think you know, how this is going to end (before the portkey to the graveyard). There is a slight but predictable plot twist at the end. I did eventually get into the adventure and had a hard time putting the book down.
Tiga is obviously parallel to Harry. She's been living in a horrible situation with a nasty guardian. She makes new friends and discovers the fun witch world and never wants to leave. She tangles with a mean girl and learns more about her past along the way. I liked Tiga because she's practical, sensible and of course because she's kind. I liked Peggy better though. I could relate to poor Peggy, the Neville Longbottom of this series. Like Neville, Peggy is clumsy and poor at spells. Like Ron she comes from a less privileged background, earning the sneers of Felicity Bat. Peggy is super sweet and a great friend. She may not be the most practical witch around but she's a loyal friend. I didn't like reading about her being bullied by Felicity Bat. I think children will want to root for Peggy as much as Tiba. Fluffanora is a fun friend. She's fashionable but fascinated by Tiga's jeans! She's a real true friend to Tiga when Tiga needs a friend. Fluffanora refuses to be friends with Aggie Hoof who is dying to be a part of Fluffanora's fashionable world just for free stuff. I appreciated how Fluffanora has little patience for the Witch Wars. I did not like how rude Fluffanora was to her mother and how her mother just puts up with her child's behavior.
Felicity Bat is obviously the man girl of the story. She's the Draco Malfoy character who thinks money and heritage can beat kindness and loyalty. I know they're witches and she admires an ancestor who was a bad witch. I think J.K. Rowling did a lot to make witches cool and this author makes them mean again. However, like the Harry Potter world, these witches do have various personalities. I also like the diverse skin shades depicted in the illustrations. Felicity's sidekick, Aggie Hoof, is the richest girl in the story. She's obsessed with the witch version of Glamour/Vogue or whatever fashion magazine you choose. She puts up with Felicity Bat's unkindness and does whatever Felicity Bat wants her to. They're both mean to sweet Peggy and to Tiga as well. I can't remember the other witches. Their personalities are pretty bland.
The fairies annoyed the heck out of me. Fran is ditzy, egotistical and irritating. The other fairies have various personalities but mostly seem to be grumpy.
I am not sure my niece will like this book. She loves witches (kitschy witches) but she's not too interested in fashion yet. She's somewhat familiar with the Harry Potter world so I don't know if this superficial witch world will appeal to her. She also likes slightly scary stories! I would not recommend this to Harry Potter fans but would suggest reading it out loud to a girly girl 6-8 year old.
October 24, 2017
Darling series starter about young witches and the witch world, where everything is black, white, and gray, and which can only be accessed by traveling through sink pipes from our world! Lots of clever twists and very fun world-building, my kids are excited to see what Tiga and her witch friends do next!
March 4, 2025
Meh?? Weird weird ending, also extremely flat characters. Why couldn’t the person who nominated the girl also… care for her?? Why did that person nominate her to get rid of the girl?? You don’t just nominate someone to get rid of them???
January 13, 2020
Funny & unique 🔮
I enjoyed it 💜
I enjoyed it 💜
February 15, 2020
"La mayoría de la gente cree que las brujas llevan vestidos negros desgastados, sombreros de punta y narices que no son precisamente elegantes. La verdad es todo lo contrario. ¡Son brujas a la moda!, pero cuándo una bruja viaja a tu mundo por las cañerías eso les destroza el sombrero, dándole una forma puntiaguda. La suciedad hace que le salgan horribles manchas en la cara o que otras se golpeen la nariz y les quede torcida. Sus vestidos acaban rasgados y descosidos. ¡Los viajes por cañería son horribles!"
➡Puntuación: ★★★★★
➡Brujas a la moda I: La gran competición.
➡Autor: Sibéal Pounder
➡Ilustraciones: Laura Ellen
➡Género: Magia (Brujería)
➡Edad: +8 (yo lo pondría en 10/12)
➡Trama: ¡Muy original! Me ha encantado. La historia es muy entretenida y puedes estar páginas y páginas leyendo sin aburrirte. Tiene ideas originales y curiosas. Un final que se cierra pero con cosas que tienes que saber leyendo más de ese mundo ya que esto es una saga. Los personajes no se describen al completo, pero en eso ayuda mucho las ilustraciones. Algunos me parecieron planos pero aun quedan libros y donde tendrá el autor más oportunidad para darlos a conocer, pues pasó mucho en solo 200 y pico páginas.
Sin duda recomiendo esta entretenida historia, un buen libro para pasar un buen rato.
➡Puntuación: ★★★★★
➡Brujas a la moda I: La gran competición.
➡Autor: Sibéal Pounder
➡Ilustraciones: Laura Ellen
➡Género: Magia (Brujería)
➡Edad: +8 (yo lo pondría en 10/12)
➡Trama: ¡Muy original! Me ha encantado. La historia es muy entretenida y puedes estar páginas y páginas leyendo sin aburrirte. Tiene ideas originales y curiosas. Un final que se cierra pero con cosas que tienes que saber leyendo más de ese mundo ya que esto es una saga. Los personajes no se describen al completo, pero en eso ayuda mucho las ilustraciones. Algunos me parecieron planos pero aun quedan libros y donde tendrá el autor más oportunidad para darlos a conocer, pues pasó mucho en solo 200 y pico páginas.
Sin duda recomiendo esta entretenida historia, un buen libro para pasar un buen rato.
December 6, 2015
GAH THIS WAS SO CUTE.
Review to come in the future.
Review to come in the future.
April 3, 2022
2022 EDIT: Such silly, kiddie, witchy fun! An all-female hijinks adventure book that can be read in a day.
(Why did I say in my original review that there are no cats whatsoever in this book? They are mentioned; they're just off-page and unnamed. So the cover is still false advertising.)
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Oh, how to describe 'Witch Wars'? Well, if 'The Worst Witch' and 'The Hunger Games' had a baby which was raised in the settings of every Saturday morning cartoon imaginable, one after another, whilst high on whatever is keeping the Looney Tunes alive and tripping, then 'Witch Wars' might be the spectacular, cracking and goofy result.
I really enjoyed this witchy product. It took me right back to my days of reading female-led middle school books such as 'Jane Blonde' and 'Emily Windsnap'. Also 'H.I.V.E.' and 'Princess Academy'. There's nothing deep here - it can be read in one day - but it is a lot of fun, with fun characters and creative set pieces.
Tiga Whicabim is a nine-year-old orphan girl, living with the abusive cheese water-fanatic Miss Heks. In a garden shed one day, Tiga finds that a slug is not her only company. She is told by a fairy named Fran (the Fabulous Fairy, as she'll never let you forget) that she is a witch and must go down the plughole into an underground world called Sinkville, where all the pipes lead to and where all the witches live. Once landing in Ritzy City, Tiga is made to compete in the Witch Wars, which used to involve killing but now it's a televised scavenger hunt (the Wars in the title was kept because it's catchy), along with other young witches, in order to win the highest honour of becoming Top Witch, ruler of Ritzy City and beyond.
Everything is fast in 'Witch Wars', with plenty of silly jokes left on the pages. There is no use comparing it to well-known franchises in literature like 'Harry Potter' and 'The Hunger Games', because it is much lighter than any of those. Non-sequiturs and random tidbits are 'Witch Wars''s bread and butter pudding. The dramatics are over-the-top and played for comedy only. People get hurt but in a rule reminiscent of slapstick.
The world of Sinkville is black and grey, but in a fun, soft, bewitching way. Considering that the whole thing is a glorified sewer system, that happens to have mountains, towers, docks, islands and coves, Tiga grows to love it pretty quickly. The witch women wear flat hats (they only get pointy, and their faces warty and noses crooked, from going up and down the small pipes), big frilly dresses, and pointy shoes. The illustrations are great and help lend the book that Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic - low budget drawings with funny writing to make up for it.
Tiga is a curious, adorable gothic heroine with her own fair share of humour, understated compared to the rest of the full-on, loud, OTT cast. Fran is a little fairy with the huge personality of a middle-aged, big-haired celebrity aunt; she's a self-obsessed primadonna, and a self-proclaimed "big star" of fairy and witch film and television. Tiga's new best friend in Sinkville is Peggy Pigwiggle, who has dripping black gunk in her fizzy hair, and cares for Tiga deeply, for she is a poor, lonely witch with no discernible gift but a loving family to give her confidence. Apart from that and coming from Sinkville, Peggy has quite a lot of surprising things in common with Tiga. Fluffanora Brew (yes, that is her name; great isn't it?) is a devil-may-care fashion designer's daughter who's as cool as any spoilt rich girl can be. She becomes Tiga's friend too, for Fluffanora is interested in the fashions of the world above the pipes. Simultaneously a bored, grumpy big sister type and a loving, helpful confidante, Fluffanora is instantly a favourite character of mine. Rivals in the Witch Wars include the haughty bully Felicity Bat, from a prestigious and infamous family legacy, and the mean girl Aggie Hoof, obsessed with the fashion magazine 'Toad'. Lizzie Beast and Patty Pigeon also make up the list of creatively silly names in this book.
There's non-stereotypical personality traits to mix in this witch's bowl (cauldrons are out of style now, according to Sinkville). There's friendship, sulky fairies, riddles and shortcuts. Not a lot of magic or spells occur in this witch book, especially one for children, but it doesn't matter. My favourite magical moment is the witches' setting up for camp by growing one of their shoes big and living in it like a house. That and growing wigs together for a bald witch who thinks she is Rapunzel. Caring for others, practical tactics, and brainpower help out our heroes on this journey to becoming the best of the best. No boarding school clichés or lessons, just a reality show contest from the get-go.
And the truly unique part of 'Witch Wars', and what makes it stand out the most? There is not a single male character in it. None mentioned whatsoever in the entire book. No romance crap or catty rivalries revolving around boys - it's a wacky, unruly competition to rule a disadvantaged world all the way. Girls rule this world!
Flaws: Without the illustrations, the reader wouldn't get a clear picture of what each character looks like, and they certainly wouldn't know that Peggy, Fluffanora and Aggie are meant to have dark skin. Nothing is really explained about Tiga's origin and how she came to be adopted by Miss Heks, who hates her but had kept her anyway, but maybe that's for the sequels to explore. And the cover lies! There are no cats in 'Witch Wars' at all, black or any other colour and breed. It's the fairies that fill the role similar to that of the witches' familiars here. Think of the cute and comedic potential lost by not including any cats in a witch adventure! Cats make everything better - just ask the internet!
'Witch Wars' is a hilarious new cartoon--er, I mean kid's book. Maybe I will check out the sequels, for I enjoy these characters and this world, and I have nothing to lose by diving into these quick reads.
Final Score: 3.5/5
(Why did I say in my original review that there are no cats whatsoever in this book? They are mentioned; they're just off-page and unnamed. So the cover is still false advertising.)
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Oh, how to describe 'Witch Wars'? Well, if 'The Worst Witch' and 'The Hunger Games' had a baby which was raised in the settings of every Saturday morning cartoon imaginable, one after another, whilst high on whatever is keeping the Looney Tunes alive and tripping, then 'Witch Wars' might be the spectacular, cracking and goofy result.
I really enjoyed this witchy product. It took me right back to my days of reading female-led middle school books such as 'Jane Blonde' and 'Emily Windsnap'. Also 'H.I.V.E.' and 'Princess Academy'. There's nothing deep here - it can be read in one day - but it is a lot of fun, with fun characters and creative set pieces.
Tiga Whicabim is a nine-year-old orphan girl, living with the abusive cheese water-fanatic Miss Heks. In a garden shed one day, Tiga finds that a slug is not her only company. She is told by a fairy named Fran (the Fabulous Fairy, as she'll never let you forget) that she is a witch and must go down the plughole into an underground world called Sinkville, where all the pipes lead to and where all the witches live. Once landing in Ritzy City, Tiga is made to compete in the Witch Wars, which used to involve killing but now it's a televised scavenger hunt (the Wars in the title was kept because it's catchy), along with other young witches, in order to win the highest honour of becoming Top Witch, ruler of Ritzy City and beyond.
Everything is fast in 'Witch Wars', with plenty of silly jokes left on the pages. There is no use comparing it to well-known franchises in literature like 'Harry Potter' and 'The Hunger Games', because it is much lighter than any of those. Non-sequiturs and random tidbits are 'Witch Wars''s bread and butter pudding. The dramatics are over-the-top and played for comedy only. People get hurt but in a rule reminiscent of slapstick.
The world of Sinkville is black and grey, but in a fun, soft, bewitching way. Considering that the whole thing is a glorified sewer system, that happens to have mountains, towers, docks, islands and coves, Tiga grows to love it pretty quickly. The witch women wear flat hats (they only get pointy, and their faces warty and noses crooked, from going up and down the small pipes), big frilly dresses, and pointy shoes. The illustrations are great and help lend the book that Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic - low budget drawings with funny writing to make up for it.
Tiga is a curious, adorable gothic heroine with her own fair share of humour, understated compared to the rest of the full-on, loud, OTT cast. Fran is a little fairy with the huge personality of a middle-aged, big-haired celebrity aunt; she's a self-obsessed primadonna, and a self-proclaimed "big star" of fairy and witch film and television. Tiga's new best friend in Sinkville is Peggy Pigwiggle, who has dripping black gunk in her fizzy hair, and cares for Tiga deeply, for she is a poor, lonely witch with no discernible gift but a loving family to give her confidence. Apart from that and coming from Sinkville, Peggy has quite a lot of surprising things in common with Tiga. Fluffanora Brew (yes, that is her name; great isn't it?) is a devil-may-care fashion designer's daughter who's as cool as any spoilt rich girl can be. She becomes Tiga's friend too, for Fluffanora is interested in the fashions of the world above the pipes. Simultaneously a bored, grumpy big sister type and a loving, helpful confidante, Fluffanora is instantly a favourite character of mine. Rivals in the Witch Wars include the haughty bully Felicity Bat, from a prestigious and infamous family legacy, and the mean girl Aggie Hoof, obsessed with the fashion magazine 'Toad'. Lizzie Beast and Patty Pigeon also make up the list of creatively silly names in this book.
There's non-stereotypical personality traits to mix in this witch's bowl (cauldrons are out of style now, according to Sinkville). There's friendship, sulky fairies, riddles and shortcuts. Not a lot of magic or spells occur in this witch book, especially one for children, but it doesn't matter. My favourite magical moment is the witches' setting up for camp by growing one of their shoes big and living in it like a house. That and growing wigs together for a bald witch who thinks she is Rapunzel. Caring for others, practical tactics, and brainpower help out our heroes on this journey to becoming the best of the best. No boarding school clichés or lessons, just a reality show contest from the get-go.
And the truly unique part of 'Witch Wars', and what makes it stand out the most? There is not a single male character in it. None mentioned whatsoever in the entire book. No romance crap or catty rivalries revolving around boys - it's a wacky, unruly competition to rule a disadvantaged world all the way. Girls rule this world!
Flaws: Without the illustrations, the reader wouldn't get a clear picture of what each character looks like, and they certainly wouldn't know that Peggy, Fluffanora and Aggie are meant to have dark skin. Nothing is really explained about Tiga's origin and how she came to be adopted by Miss Heks, who hates her but had kept her anyway, but maybe that's for the sequels to explore. And the cover lies! There are no cats in 'Witch Wars' at all, black or any other colour and breed. It's the fairies that fill the role similar to that of the witches' familiars here. Think of the cute and comedic potential lost by not including any cats in a witch adventure! Cats make everything better - just ask the internet!
'Witch Wars' is a hilarious new cartoon--er, I mean kid's book. Maybe I will check out the sequels, for I enjoy these characters and this world, and I have nothing to lose by diving into these quick reads.
Final Score: 3.5/5
May 16, 2016
Rating: 3/5
Nu am mai citit de multă vreme o carte pentru copii de acest tip. Cu gândul la vremurile când citeam amuzantele cărți cu vrăjitoarea Pongwiffy, am lecturat acum Războiul Vrăjitoarelor, o carte plină de vrăjitoare și haz.
Autoarea Sibéal Pounder a creat o lectură numai potrivită pentru cei tineri, dar și pentru ceilalți ce doresc să citească despre locul de sub conducte, unde se văd pălării ciudate recuperate din zona de deasupra conductelor și unde are loc Războiul Vrăjitoarelor.
Această cărticică mi s-a părut extrem de hazlie și, chiar dacă nu îmi va rămâne peste ani și ani în minte, m-a bucurat extrem de mult lecturarea ei, și o voi păstra în bibliotecă cu mare drag.
Am cunoscut-o pe tânăra Tiga Nusovtrov Jărăzare și am călătorit cu ea spre Ritzy City unde avea să participe la Războiul Vrăjitoarelor, lucru la care ea nu se aștepta. Nici măcar nu știa că este o vrăjitoare, cea care a informat-o fiind Fran Zâna Fantastică! M-am amuzat extrem de des de replicile dintre personaje, și de numeroasele inserții care completau povestea mai mult.
Ilustrațiile realizate de Laura Ellen Anderson au fost extrem de bine realizate. Mi s-au părut atractive, amuzante, și mi-ar plăcea să le văd și pe cele din următoarele două volume ale seriei!! :D
Consider că s-au potrivit fain de tot cu textul cărții și m-au ajutat să îmi imaginez mai bine personajele, alături de ciudățenia, nebunia și hazul fiecăruia în parte.
Cred că acestă carte este numai bună pentru copii, și cred că aceștia se vor bucura de fiecare pagină în parte. Nu doar exteriorul cărții arată superb, dar și interiorul este atractiv, atât prin text cât și prin ilustrații.
Pentru cei care se rătăcesc pe parcursul lecturii, avem la început de tot o hartă foarte tare, hartă ce ne oferă detalii despre cum arată Ținutul Chiuvetăriei (ce denumire amuzantă!).
Vă recomand cu mare drag această poveste hazlie cu vrăjitoare, și sper să vă încânte! Mie mi-a oferit o stare de bine de fiecare dată când am citit-o, și am observat că nu aș mai fi pus-o jos din mână, de mult ce mă încânta.
Citate:
Nu am mai citit de multă vreme o carte pentru copii de acest tip. Cu gândul la vremurile când citeam amuzantele cărți cu vrăjitoarea Pongwiffy, am lecturat acum Războiul Vrăjitoarelor, o carte plină de vrăjitoare și haz.
Autoarea Sibéal Pounder a creat o lectură numai potrivită pentru cei tineri, dar și pentru ceilalți ce doresc să citească despre locul de sub conducte, unde se văd pălării ciudate recuperate din zona de deasupra conductelor și unde are loc Războiul Vrăjitoarelor.
Această cărticică mi s-a părut extrem de hazlie și, chiar dacă nu îmi va rămâne peste ani și ani în minte, m-a bucurat extrem de mult lecturarea ei, și o voi păstra în bibliotecă cu mare drag.
Am cunoscut-o pe tânăra Tiga Nusovtrov Jărăzare și am călătorit cu ea spre Ritzy City unde avea să participe la Războiul Vrăjitoarelor, lucru la care ea nu se aștepta. Nici măcar nu știa că este o vrăjitoare, cea care a informat-o fiind Fran Zâna Fantastică! M-am amuzat extrem de des de replicile dintre personaje, și de numeroasele inserții care completau povestea mai mult.
Ilustrațiile realizate de Laura Ellen Anderson au fost extrem de bine realizate. Mi s-au părut atractive, amuzante, și mi-ar plăcea să le văd și pe cele din următoarele două volume ale seriei!! :D
Consider că s-au potrivit fain de tot cu textul cărții și m-au ajutat să îmi imaginez mai bine personajele, alături de ciudățenia, nebunia și hazul fiecăruia în parte.
Cred că acestă carte este numai bună pentru copii, și cred că aceștia se vor bucura de fiecare pagină în parte. Nu doar exteriorul cărții arată superb, dar și interiorul este atractiv, atât prin text cât și prin ilustrații.
Pentru cei care se rătăcesc pe parcursul lecturii, avem la început de tot o hartă foarte tare, hartă ce ne oferă detalii despre cum arată Ținutul Chiuvetăriei (ce denumire amuzantă!).
Vă recomand cu mare drag această poveste hazlie cu vrăjitoare, și sper să vă încânte! Mie mi-a oferit o stare de bine de fiecare dată când am citit-o, și am observat că nu aș mai fi pus-o jos din mână, de mult ce mă încânta.
Citate:
"- Dar ce este cu apa? întrebă Tiga. Nu este ploaie, nu-i așa?
- Nu, răspunse Fran, uitându-se la picăturile ce cădeau din norii întunecați. Vine din casele în care trăiește o vrăjitoare, din lumea de deasupra conductelor. Unele dintre ele nici măcar nu știu că sunt vrăjitoare, adăugă ea, ridicând din sprânceană." (p.23-24)
"- Ce-mi place cel mai mult la gem este cuvântul în sine. Gem. Este un cuvânt frumos, nu-i așa? spune Fluffanora, întorcând un borcan de gem și cercetându-l pe toate părțile. Gem. Gem. Gem. Gem.
Mavis ridică mirată o sprânceană.
- Nu participai la Războiul Vrăjitoarelor, Fluffanora?
Fluffanora dădu din cap că nu.
- Nu mă interesează, Mavis, nu mă interesează.
Chiar atunci, pe lângă ele trecu bătrâna vrăjitoare, cea cu pălăriile hidoase. Fluffanora și Mavis se uitară după ea cum își împinge anevoie căruciorul în josul străzii, în direcția în care se afla Aggie Hoof.
- Pălării autentice luate din conducte! Pălării originale din conducte! Cine vrea pălării originale pe care le-am luat din conductele de deasupra?
- DONNA, ZBOARĂ ODATĂ!
Aggie Hoof nu era deloc atentă. Bătrâna vrăjitoare se opri lângă ea.
- Pălării autentice luate din conducte!
- TE ROOOOOGGG! țipă Aggie Hoof.
În acel moment, vrăjitoarea zdrențuroasă crezu că a spus «TE ROG, dă-mi o pălărie!», ceea ce, desigur, ea nu spusese. Ca urmare, îi luă pălăria de pe cap lui Aggie și îi trânti în schimb una dezgustător de soioasă.
- Ta daaa! Ia uite ce ai, vrăjitorico, o pălărie autentică din conductele de deasupra!" (p.114-115)
"Fusta Șontâc-Șontâc
Cea mai neobișnuită invenție! Poalele fustei sunt atât de strâmte în jurul gleznelor, încât femeile, în loc să meargă normal, se bălăngăne ca niște pinguini bine îmbrăcați." (p.177)
November 6, 2018
A little slow, perhaps.
Kinda sorta but not really a small part Harry Potter and a small part Hunger Games. Kinda sorta....
Great narration via Audible.
Overall it was a fun read. Perfect to listen while driving or cleaning during Halloween.
Kinda sorta but not really a small part Harry Potter and a small part Hunger Games. Kinda sorta....
Great narration via Audible.
Overall it was a fun read. Perfect to listen while driving or cleaning during Halloween.
January 7, 2022
Много симпатична и красива книга, пълна с черно-бели илюстрации.
Определено бих я прочела пак!
Определено бих я прочела пак!
July 26, 2024
Ovo je beskrajno zabavno osmišljena knjiga! A kada se uzme u obzir da je autorka svoju maštariju iz detinjstva pretvorila u roman za decu, sve dodatno dobija smisla.
Čitala sam mnogo knjiga za decu o vešticama, ali ni u jednoj se do veštičjeg grada nije stizalo kroz odvodne cevi.
Dakle, veštice žive u Cevozemlju, gradu ispod cevi. Veja Smaštica tamo dospeva tako što ju je amo kroz odvod od sudopere odvela vila Viki, koja joj je otkrila da je i sama veštica.
U veštičjoj zemlji ispod cevi na svakih devet godina devet devetogodišnjih veštica bori se u Ratovima veštica, koji se na veštičjojnteleviziji prenose kao rijaliti šou, a ona koja pobedi vlada Cevozemljem narednih devet godina. Od toga ko će da pobedi zavisi i koja vrsta vladavine će da nastupi.
Mlade veštice do pobede mogu da dođu pameću i dovitljivošću, tako što će da reše niz zagonetki, a druge mogu da izbacuju iz igre tako što će da unište njihove male smežurane glave koje nose na šeširima.
Takmičeći se u Ratovima veštica, Veja otkriva da ne mora nužno da zna čarolije da bi pobedila, ali neke usput i nauči, da ne mora odlično da poznaje Cevozemlje da bi shvatila kuda dalje da ide, ali mnoge delove upoznaje. Naučila je koliko znači iskreno prijateljstvo, nešto što do tada nije imala i da se za pravog prijatelja vredi žrtvovati.
Naučila je da je Veja Smaštica anagram od "Ja sam veštica".
Sve u svemu, jedan dinamičan i, pre svega, izuzetno interesantan i komičan roman za decu, kakav bih volela da je postojao kada sam ja bila dete.
Čitala sam mnogo knjiga za decu o vešticama, ali ni u jednoj se do veštičjeg grada nije stizalo kroz odvodne cevi.
Dakle, veštice žive u Cevozemlju, gradu ispod cevi. Veja Smaštica tamo dospeva tako što ju je amo kroz odvod od sudopere odvela vila Viki, koja joj je otkrila da je i sama veštica.
U veštičjoj zemlji ispod cevi na svakih devet godina devet devetogodišnjih veštica bori se u Ratovima veštica, koji se na veštičjojnteleviziji prenose kao rijaliti šou, a ona koja pobedi vlada Cevozemljem narednih devet godina. Od toga ko će da pobedi zavisi i koja vrsta vladavine će da nastupi.
Mlade veštice do pobede mogu da dođu pameću i dovitljivošću, tako što će da reše niz zagonetki, a druge mogu da izbacuju iz igre tako što će da unište njihove male smežurane glave koje nose na šeširima.
Takmičeći se u Ratovima veštica, Veja otkriva da ne mora nužno da zna čarolije da bi pobedila, ali neke usput i nauči, da ne mora odlično da poznaje Cevozemlje da bi shvatila kuda dalje da ide, ali mnoge delove upoznaje. Naučila je koliko znači iskreno prijateljstvo, nešto što do tada nije imala i da se za pravog prijatelja vredi žrtvovati.
Naučila je da je Veja Smaštica anagram od "Ja sam veštica".
Sve u svemu, jedan dinamičan i, pre svega, izuzetno interesantan i komičan roman za decu, kakav bih volela da je postojao kada sam ja bila dete.
January 7, 2019
Been reading this with my 7 year old and it is really good. We wasn't expecting who the winner was.
Can't wait to read the 2nd book with my 7 year old.
Well she feel asleep but I want to find out what happened.
Can't wait to read the 2nd book with my 7 year old.
Well she feel asleep but I want to find out what happened.
April 29, 2018
3.5 stelline
La recensione --> http://bookespedia.blogspot.it/2018/0...
La recensione --> http://bookespedia.blogspot.it/2018/0...
January 3, 2019
O carte amuzantă și distructivă. Cu această carte am ieșit din zona mea de confort. Și extrem de scurtă. Felicitări!
January 1, 2020
Entertaining. As the story goes on we get to learn traits like honesty and loyalty. Peggy and our young witch will be bfs.I'm sure about that.👭
July 8, 2020
I was kinda looking for a children book, since I want to read a wide genre. But seriously, this looks boring as hell, I liked it enough to get through the end. this book was seriously so easy read to me that I read this in like, 3hrs.
October 31, 2021
This is an adorable book about a girl who discovers she is a witch and is whisked down a sinkhole to a glamorous City to compete in the Witch Wars.
Funny and cute read.
Funny and cute read.
May 15, 2022
A very fun read. Classic children’s fantasy. I know I would have adored this as a kid, and I still enjoy it now.
December 31, 2023
What a lovely little book! Perfect for 7-9 year olds and just great fun!
March 1, 2024
3.5 stars
February 5, 2024
It was a good time to get comfortable and enjoy a witch wars adventure.I found it interesting to see what happened next to tigan whicabim and her fairy friend.I enjoyed the effort put into it.
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