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Backyard Witch #1
Sadie's Story
Sadie has two best friends: Jess and Maya. But Jess can only take one friend on vacation with her, and Sadie is the one who gets left behind. How will she ever survive the days of loneliness and boredom? But wait . . . what is that in her old playhouse in the backyard? A witch has moved in! A kind and funny witch, who's looking for her own two lost friends. Together, Sadie and the witch have a curious adventure, one that makes Sadie see her neighborhood--and herself--with new eyes.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2015
9 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Christine Heppermann
16 books158 followersChristine Heppermann writes fiction, poetry, and criticism. Her books include What Goes Up (coming summer 2020); Ask Me How I Got Here; Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty; City Chickens; and the Backyard Witch series (with Ron Koertge). She currently reviews young adult books for the Chicago Tribune.
Christine grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended an all-girls Catholic high school. As an undergraduate she studied philosophy and literature at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She has a masters degree in children’s literature from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Christine lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her two daughters, two cats, and one husband.
Christine grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended an all-girls Catholic high school. As an undergraduate she studied philosophy and literature at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She has a masters degree in children’s literature from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Christine lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her two daughters, two cats, and one husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 17, 2015
This book has restored my faith in children's literature.
It is smart and funny and never patronizing despite there being a nice subtle lesson thrown in.
Sadie's two best friends leave on a vacation and a wacky (but NOT annoyingly quirky) witch begins living in Sadie's backyard, in her playhouse to be exact.
Despite now having a friend, Sadie also has a hobby as she takes up bird watching in an effort to help the witch find her long lost best friend (who is now a bird).
Very charming and full of humor. I didn't care much for Sadie's parents or friends but Sadie, her cat, and the witch are fantastically lovable.
This was a delightful celebration of imagination.
Perfection!
February 26, 2015
I went into this expecting it to be a cute little read, and it was that, but at the same time, it was so relateable. That sounds funny coming from an almost adult but as a kid who had been a third wheel to her friends and sometimes still is, I found an instant way to connect with the main character.
This short book isn’t about a young girl moping around after she is left behind by her friends though, it’s about her finding new friends (whilst keeping her old ones) and it’s about her finding something that is solely hers.
It breaks my heart to admit this but this book isn’t actually about witches *cries* but it’s still amazing and there is some magic involves (both metaphorical and literal).
This is a cute little book about a young girl named Sadie who realizes that there is a lot more to the world than she thought there was. She finds out how fun birdwatching can be and makes friends with an eccentric old woman all the while realizing that being left out doesn’t make her any less special and awesome.
This is a cute little book that I’d recommend to anyone who wants a cute little books about little girls and old eccentric women who think they are witches (and might actually be). Read it, whether you are 7, 17, 27, or 107 because it will still be worth it!
This short book isn’t about a young girl moping around after she is left behind by her friends though, it’s about her finding new friends (whilst keeping her old ones) and it’s about her finding something that is solely hers.
It breaks my heart to admit this but this book isn’t actually about witches *cries* but it’s still amazing and there is some magic involves (both metaphorical and literal).
This is a cute little book about a young girl named Sadie who realizes that there is a lot more to the world than she thought there was. She finds out how fun birdwatching can be and makes friends with an eccentric old woman all the while realizing that being left out doesn’t make her any less special and awesome.
This is a cute little book that I’d recommend to anyone who wants a cute little books about little girls and old eccentric women who think they are witches (and might actually be). Read it, whether you are 7, 17, 27, or 107 because it will still be worth it!
October 14, 2015
Who needs a fairy god mother, when you can have a witch like Ms. M to help you. This is a great chapter book for young readers. With short chapters, age appropriate humor, a magical mystery, and an important lesson that is learned, Sadie's story is one readers will enjoy. The black and white illustrations found through out the book by illustrator Deborah Marcero, make Sadie's Story that much more appealing
Read my FULL REVIEW here http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2015/1...
Read my FULL REVIEW here http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/2015/1...
February 20, 2015
What appears to be a book about a witch is actually a book about birding, friendship, and keeping busy. It's a cute story about a girl who starts to see the birds around her in a whole new way after an unexpected encounter with a friendly witch living in a backyard playhouse.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.
September 9, 2015
This is a pretty adorable transitional chapter book - the comparisons to Clementine and Ivy and Bean are right on. I especially loved the subtle, un-preachy approach to dealing with feeling left out, and the birding aspect. A cool introduction to a hobby lots of kids don't know much about. Sweet little illustrations round out this quick read.
March 10, 2015
When Sadie's two best friends leave on a trip together, Ms. M, a bird-watching witch appears in Sadie's backyard looking for her two lost friends, a bird and a cat. There's more bird watching than magic in this gently paced story but overall it's a bittersweet story of friendship.
October 7, 2015
Some plot holes but a cute story over all
April 8, 2019
Sadie is 9 years old. Her two best friends are going on a vacation without her. In this story she figures out how to be okay about it by developing a good imagination, a desire to be independent from her parents, and an ability to document the birds she finds. I enjoyed this story because I, too, love looking at birds and developing a knowledge of their names. In fact, when my son Michael was young, we spent many days reading about the different names of birds and then discovering them in nature. I have very fond memories of those days pushing him in the stroller down the arroyo path and exclaiming over the Great Blue Heron or the snowy white egrets. This story by Christine Heppermann has inspired me to take that pleasure back up again with the addition of keeping a Bird journal where my observations can be written down. Kudos to the Author for creating a story that helps children deal with the unfairness of life and friendship by observing that when one activity goes away you replace it with an even better one!
July 16, 2018
This had some great parts but it felt forced...too much bird talk and I don't think kids are going to like all of it. I felt like they're trying too hard to make a really great book. It just didn't feel natural to me. I did love the line,"the most powerful magic is something anyone can do" however. And also the line
"there's nothing so attractive as someone being her true, true self." So I applaud the effort, just did do it for me.
"there's nothing so attractive as someone being her true, true self." So I applaud the effort, just did do it for me.
April 3, 2018
Not quite what I expected but still a cute children's book. Lots of good bird information.
July 12, 2019
Loved all the birds in this early chapter book.
March 12, 2017
Cozy but not cutesie. I like that some things are left unresolved but the story feels emotionally complete.
July 28, 2015
A Good Start to a Proposed Series, (and There Are Birds)
Many of the publisher reviews, blurbs and reader reviews of this book compare it favorably to the "Ivy & Bean" series and to the Clementine books. Well, I tend to think that comparisons like that are just shortcuts and usually don't mean much, but with this book the comparisons strike me as apt. Moreover, I'm a very big fan of Annie Barrows's "Ivy & Bean" books and really like Clementine, but would still give this Sadie series a bit of an edge over them on a few scores.
First off, it seemed to me that this book reads a little younger than the "Ivy & Bean" type books. Sadie's younger, the plot is milder, and the writing is just aimed a bit younger, (although some more advanced vocabulary is used almost like a good-natured joke). That's fine, but I'm thinking older elementary more than middle grade. That's especially attractive because, boy, that's an underserved demo.
Anyway, to the book. Short summary - Sadie has been left behind for the summer because her best pal could only take one friend with her on her family vacation, and her best pal chose a different girl. So Sadie is understandably bummed, and we sympathize. Then Sadie finds a witch has moved into the little old playhouse in the backyard, and she befriends the witch and then joins her on a neighborhood ramble to find the witch's missing friend. (The friend accidentally turned herself into a bird and flew away.) We have to find the witch's cat too, but mostly we do a lot of birdwatching, which is a bit more intersting than it may sound. In fact, there's a lot of birdwatching, but it's painless and fits in to the gentle overall tone of the book.
That's about it. But we get a nice tale about friendship, adventure, the limits and complications of friendship, and lots of mild Mary Poppins style advice and subtle counsel from the friendly witch. There isn't a lot magical action, although there is much said about the magic of everyday life and the witch likes to make magic jokes and references.
If that were it, this would be a mild but possibly ho-hum sort of book. What steps it up is the wise/funny bits from the witch, Sadie's own spunky and yet thoughtful personality, and the bemused and good-natured tone of the narrative. Parents are a bit clueless, but affectionately presented. The witch is alternatingly brisk, supportive, sympathetic, and no-nonsense. She's also funny, both in a deadpan sort way and sometimes in a broader and more easily understood way. That all comes together to create a pleasant, engaging, and sometimes very funny story. The whole effect is kind and gentle and patient, but never sappy. The author never overreaches or tries to invest the story with more weight than it deserves. That said, it isn't silly-willy magical stuff. You end up with a solid story, well told, about a nice funny witch lady, without any irony or detachment. How many funny witch books treat the newly independent reader with that much respect?
So, amusing, interesting, very good humored, mildly adventurous and stocked with funny bits. I call this a happy find.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Many of the publisher reviews, blurbs and reader reviews of this book compare it favorably to the "Ivy & Bean" series and to the Clementine books. Well, I tend to think that comparisons like that are just shortcuts and usually don't mean much, but with this book the comparisons strike me as apt. Moreover, I'm a very big fan of Annie Barrows's "Ivy & Bean" books and really like Clementine, but would still give this Sadie series a bit of an edge over them on a few scores.
First off, it seemed to me that this book reads a little younger than the "Ivy & Bean" type books. Sadie's younger, the plot is milder, and the writing is just aimed a bit younger, (although some more advanced vocabulary is used almost like a good-natured joke). That's fine, but I'm thinking older elementary more than middle grade. That's especially attractive because, boy, that's an underserved demo.
Anyway, to the book. Short summary - Sadie has been left behind for the summer because her best pal could only take one friend with her on her family vacation, and her best pal chose a different girl. So Sadie is understandably bummed, and we sympathize. Then Sadie finds a witch has moved into the little old playhouse in the backyard, and she befriends the witch and then joins her on a neighborhood ramble to find the witch's missing friend. (The friend accidentally turned herself into a bird and flew away.) We have to find the witch's cat too, but mostly we do a lot of birdwatching, which is a bit more intersting than it may sound. In fact, there's a lot of birdwatching, but it's painless and fits in to the gentle overall tone of the book.
That's about it. But we get a nice tale about friendship, adventure, the limits and complications of friendship, and lots of mild Mary Poppins style advice and subtle counsel from the friendly witch. There isn't a lot magical action, although there is much said about the magic of everyday life and the witch likes to make magic jokes and references.
If that were it, this would be a mild but possibly ho-hum sort of book. What steps it up is the wise/funny bits from the witch, Sadie's own spunky and yet thoughtful personality, and the bemused and good-natured tone of the narrative. Parents are a bit clueless, but affectionately presented. The witch is alternatingly brisk, supportive, sympathetic, and no-nonsense. She's also funny, both in a deadpan sort way and sometimes in a broader and more easily understood way. That all comes together to create a pleasant, engaging, and sometimes very funny story. The whole effect is kind and gentle and patient, but never sappy. The author never overreaches or tries to invest the story with more weight than it deserves. That said, it isn't silly-willy magical stuff. You end up with a solid story, well told, about a nice funny witch lady, without any irony or detachment. How many funny witch books treat the newly independent reader with that much respect?
So, amusing, interesting, very good humored, mildly adventurous and stocked with funny bits. I call this a happy find.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
October 29, 2015
Summary (Amazon.com)
Sadie has two best friends: Jess and Maya. But Jess can only take one friend on vacation with her, and Sadie is the one who gets left behind. How will she ever survive the days of loneliness and boredom? But wait . . . what is that in her old playhouse in the backyard? A witch has moved in! A kind and funny witch, who's looking for her own two lost friends, Ethel, who has recently turned into a bird, and her cat Onyx, who went after Ethel and disappeared. Sadie joins Ms. M in her search, and learns a good deal about birds and bird-watching in the process. She helps Ms. M find Onyx, but Ethel’s whereabouts is still a mystery, and in the end, Ms. M leaves to pursue a lead on her in Mexico. Together, Sadie and the witch have a curious adventure, one that makes Sadie see her neighborhood,and herself,with new eyes.
My Comments
I really enjoyed this book. Its unique premise of a witch living in Sadie’s backyard, is amusing and will make for many fun future adventures together. Mrs. M, the witch, is a slightly inept but kindhearted witch who does not always use traditional magic to get things done. Ms. M helps Sadie see the enchantment in the world around her.
I also enjoyed the bird watching element in the story. There's something valuable Sadie learns through watching the birds, and helping Ms. M find her friend. At the end of the book, the author includes Mrs. M’s Birding Tips for beginning bird watchers, encouraging young readers to go outside and observe the world around them.
On a side note, I loved the fact that Mrs. M lived in Milwaukee for a time. So did I!
Short chapters, some mysterious elements, gentle humor, a touch of magic, and adorable black-and-white illustrations make this an ideal pick for younger readers, grades 3 and up.
Sadie has two best friends: Jess and Maya. But Jess can only take one friend on vacation with her, and Sadie is the one who gets left behind. How will she ever survive the days of loneliness and boredom? But wait . . . what is that in her old playhouse in the backyard? A witch has moved in! A kind and funny witch, who's looking for her own two lost friends, Ethel, who has recently turned into a bird, and her cat Onyx, who went after Ethel and disappeared. Sadie joins Ms. M in her search, and learns a good deal about birds and bird-watching in the process. She helps Ms. M find Onyx, but Ethel’s whereabouts is still a mystery, and in the end, Ms. M leaves to pursue a lead on her in Mexico. Together, Sadie and the witch have a curious adventure, one that makes Sadie see her neighborhood,and herself,with new eyes.
My Comments
I really enjoyed this book. Its unique premise of a witch living in Sadie’s backyard, is amusing and will make for many fun future adventures together. Mrs. M, the witch, is a slightly inept but kindhearted witch who does not always use traditional magic to get things done. Ms. M helps Sadie see the enchantment in the world around her.
I also enjoyed the bird watching element in the story. There's something valuable Sadie learns through watching the birds, and helping Ms. M find her friend. At the end of the book, the author includes Mrs. M’s Birding Tips for beginning bird watchers, encouraging young readers to go outside and observe the world around them.
On a side note, I loved the fact that Mrs. M lived in Milwaukee for a time. So did I!
Short chapters, some mysterious elements, gentle humor, a touch of magic, and adorable black-and-white illustrations make this an ideal pick for younger readers, grades 3 and up.
December 19, 2016
Sadie is sad when her two best friends go away to camp without her. When she spies smoke coming from the chimney of her backyard playhouse, however, her sadness is replaced by curiosity about the strange woman she finds there cooking up a hex. Ms. M is a witch who has also lost her two best friends - a cat, who ran away, and a fellow witch, who was mistakenly turned into a bird. With Sadie's help, she hopes to track down her missing companions, and maybe teach Sadie a little bit about bird-watching - and communicating with pigeons! - in the process.
This book is definitely different as compared with other chapter books of the fantasy genre. For one thing, though the main characters are both female, there is none of the sparkly, girly type of magic that has been popularized by the Rainbow Magic series. Instead, the magic is more like the stuff of fairy tales - mixing potions, turning people into animals, and performing "hocus pocus," a spell hilariously based on the Hokey Pokey. Also strange about this book is its attempt to combine magic with bird watching. Studying bird behavior is not exactly a common interest among first and second graders, so it seems like this was thrown into the story to give it a STEM/common core connection. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, but using a story about a witch to "trick" kids into enjoying science seems like an overly complicated way of doing business.
Sadie's Story will appeal to both boys and girls who like friendship stories with a hint of magic. Ms. M. is a bit like Mrs. Noodlekugel, so readers who have enjoyed that series are likely to enjoy this one as well. Other chapter books involving witches include The Little Leftover Witch, The Worst Witch, and Earwig and the Witch.
This book is definitely different as compared with other chapter books of the fantasy genre. For one thing, though the main characters are both female, there is none of the sparkly, girly type of magic that has been popularized by the Rainbow Magic series. Instead, the magic is more like the stuff of fairy tales - mixing potions, turning people into animals, and performing "hocus pocus," a spell hilariously based on the Hokey Pokey. Also strange about this book is its attempt to combine magic with bird watching. Studying bird behavior is not exactly a common interest among first and second graders, so it seems like this was thrown into the story to give it a STEM/common core connection. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, but using a story about a witch to "trick" kids into enjoying science seems like an overly complicated way of doing business.
Sadie's Story will appeal to both boys and girls who like friendship stories with a hint of magic. Ms. M. is a bit like Mrs. Noodlekugel, so readers who have enjoyed that series are likely to enjoy this one as well. Other chapter books involving witches include The Little Leftover Witch, The Worst Witch, and Earwig and the Witch.
July 24, 2015
When Sadie looks into her backyard one day, she notices that her play house is emitting smoke. Convinced it's on fire, she rushes out to take a look -- only to discover that a witch has taken up residence and is cooking lunch in there. The witch isn't just wandering, though; she's on a mission to help her best friend, who accidentally turned herself into a bird before flying off. Sadie and Ms. M. team up, hoping they can find the errant witch in a world that suddenly feels filled with birds. But with Sadie going through friendship troubles of her own, and her parents attempting to sell the play house right out from under Ms. M., bird-watching isn't the only thing on their minds.
Sadie and Ms. M's teamwork is sweet, with plenty of humorous incidents and enough unpredictability to keep kids guessing. A few animal-loving readers may even pick up Ms. M's bird-watching habit after seeing it through Sadie's eyes. While there's some wrap-up, this is clearly the beginning of a series.
Sadie and Ms. M's teamwork is sweet, with plenty of humorous incidents and enough unpredictability to keep kids guessing. A few animal-loving readers may even pick up Ms. M's bird-watching habit after seeing it through Sadie's eyes. While there's some wrap-up, this is clearly the beginning of a series.
December 1, 2015
Summary: Sadie gets left behind when her two best friends go off to camp together. But in her own backyard, she meets Mrs. M, a witch, living in her old playhouse. Mrs. M is looking for her black cat and best friend who just so happens to have been turned into a bird. For the next several days, Sadie helps Mrs. M look for her cat and her bird. In the process she learns how to identify different bird species in her neighborhood. Mrs. M’s cat returns, but she never does find her friend the bird. Then it’s time for her to leave and Sadie’s friends return home from camp. As it turns out, camp was pretty lousy and Sadie actually had more fun at home than they did going away.
http://julianaleewriter.com/the-cybil...
http://julianaleewriter.com/the-cybil...
August 30, 2015
I really admire and love the premise of this book. I absolutely adore birds and I love how they are the focus. I also think that friendship is a timeless theme that never gets old.
The fact is, though, it was very hard for me to keep my attention focused on this book. It was exceedingly dull. I know a lot of reviewers found it humorous, but I didn't. And, honestly, I don't really imagine kids loving it either. I'm going to get some of my elementary students to read it and see what they think. If any of them bite, I'll update this review with their opinions.
The fact is, though, it was very hard for me to keep my attention focused on this book. It was exceedingly dull. I know a lot of reviewers found it humorous, but I didn't. And, honestly, I don't really imagine kids loving it either. I'm going to get some of my elementary students to read it and see what they think. If any of them bite, I'll update this review with their opinions.
January 16, 2016
When Sadie's friends go on vacation without her, she is left home alone. At first she feel sorry for herself. But then she finds a witch living in her playhouse! The witch is looking for her friend who has turned into a bird. Sadie and the witch go birdwatching,go on picnics, and have adventures. Sadie learns that playing with old friends is fun, and making new ones are fun too. The story is simple but has a sweet message.
February 24, 2015
A very sweet chapter book with cute illustrations, great for kids just getting into reading longer books. Loved the themes about friendship and accepting change and being yourself. It's not terribly action-oriented, but will appeal to kids who enjoy quirky characters, gentle humor, and a little bit of magic mixed in with everyday life.
July 15, 2015
This is a sweet story that reminded me of classics like Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and maybe Mary Poppins. Sadie is lonely now that her two best friends are going on vacation together, but when she discovers a witch names Ms. M living in her backyard play house, life gets a lot more interesting. Ms. M is on the lookout for her own best friend who was turned into a bird.
July 29, 2015
An absolutely adorable tale that combines quite nicely friendly characters learning about birds with the magic of witches for elementary-aged readers. A short, sweet story. A light, easy read. The Backyard Witch Ms. M is a character like Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a cute and friendly character you look forward to seeing more and more of.
August 28, 2015
This is a terrific book for those kids just jumping into chapter books. My daughter really could relate to the friendship issues in the beginning - and even though she's a little scared of a witch - is imagining her own backyard witch for when she needs a new friend. Also - several laugh out loud points for me as mom reading.
May 10, 2016
Super cute story. This is going to be perfect for my witch-loving third grader and I also hope it gets her interested in bird watching and keeping a journal of them this summer. Sometimes you need to be bored and have some alone time without your best friends to discover your own backyard.
November 5, 2016
Lots of humor and heart, and a few facts about bird-watching sprinkled in.
Intriguing concept for a chapter book series: An old woman, who is allegedly a witch, visits three friends, on separate occasions in separate books, and helps each girl with her current issue.
Intriguing concept for a chapter book series: An old woman, who is allegedly a witch, visits three friends, on separate occasions in separate books, and helps each girl with her current issue.
October 13, 2015
Perfect book for parents to read aloud to their child! A bewitching story for school children laced with humor for the adult reader. Enjoy!
April 12, 2016
Rhys hated this book - and it was too advanced word-wise. I thought it was cute.
October 24, 2016
Just the right amount of humor without being too silly. Loved it and will buy it for my library. Comparable to Ivy and Bean.
March 25, 2017
Ms. M was kind of annoying. Maybe it will get kids interested in birdwatching, though, and thus outdoors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews