Picklewitch & Jack and the Cuckoo Cousin

by Claire Barker, Teemu Juhani (Illustrator)

The second title in the hilarious Picklewitch and Jack series

NOBODY
tells ME what to do BECUZ…
I DUZ what I LIKES
and I LIKES what I DUZ
OH YES!

Jack’s new best friend Picklewitch is still causing marvellous mischief at St Immaculate’s School for the Gifted.

When she receives a letter from her cousin Archie Cuckoo, telling her he’s coming to stay, Jack worries that she’ll lose interest in him. But this new cousin turns out to be unexpectedly nice, and it’s Picklewitch whose nose is put out of joint when Archie and Jack get along really well.

But Archie is not all he seems, and soon both Picklewitch and Jack realise there are sinister plans afoot!

Genres: Fantasy

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2021

Reviews

[Michelle Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORE Picklewitch and Jack. In my review of the first book I described it as ‘a joy’, and indeed joy is a word that comes up over and over again in other people’s reviews. You simply cannot read these books without a silly grin on your face (mayhaps Picklewitch herself has bamboozled us). You know it’s good when you’re reading out passages to grown ups as well as kids, and you can’t get the words out because you’re laughing so much!

There is so much to love here: Picklewitch’s delightful naughtiness, the quirky language and an abundance of made up words, lashings of cake, wit and a good whiff of witchery. What’s especially lovely is that readers will pick up a lot of information about nature in a fun way without trying or feeling like it’s being forced on them. I really can’t recommend the series highly enough, and I can’t wait to see what Picklewitch and Jack get up to next.

[Julie J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mir hat der zweite Teil besser gefallen als der erste. Ich war im ersten doch ein wenig genervt von Klarinde und fand die Freundschaft zwischen ihr und Paul unausgeglichen und auch ihre Verhalten bzw. wie ihre Taten, die direkten Einfluss auf Pauls Leben nahmen, besprochen wurden, Paul gegenüber nicht fair.

Im zweiten Band sind die beiden aber nun beste Freunde und das Verhältnis zwischen ihnen fühlte sich für mich richtig an. Zu Beginn erhält Klarinde einen Brief von ihrem Cousin, der sie besuchen wird. Ist zu Beginn Paul deshalb etwas eifersüchtig, wendet sich das Blatt schnell, als sich herausstellt, dass der Cousin, Archibald Kuckuck, mehr Gemeinsamkeiten mit Paul zu teilen scheint und die beiden sich anzufreunden beginnen. Klarinde gefällt das gar nicht.

Doch der geheimnissvolle Cousin scheint nicht der zu sein, für den er sich ausgibt und schon bald erkennen die Klettenhexe Klarinde und das Menschenkind Paul, das Archibal finstere Pläne verfolgt.

Demnächst erscheint der dritte Band und ich bin schon sehr gespannt, was die beiden in diesem erleben werden.

[Laura Feldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book whilst searching for new authors to read. I actually really liked this book. Mr 9 liked it too. I hope we can find other books in this series.

[Annie Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Barker’s second Picklewitch story is a deliciously fizzy mix of magic, mayhem and fast-paced mystery. Enchantingly well-written and gloriously funny, her narrative slyly plants enough clues along the way to generate an atmosphere of thrilling suspense. There is one blood-chilling - and stomach-churning - moment (when Picklewitch’s cousin Archie unwittingly exposes his true - appalling - nature) which genuinely made me gasp! Anxious, over-achieving Jack himself is a highly endearing character, the perfect foil for the wild, anarchic but equally lovable Picklewitch. Highly recommend!

[Guy Bass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book no end. Picklewitch is a such an endearing character and this tale of witches at war is well-paced, witty and handled with an enviable lightness of touch. Picklewitch’s cousin Archie comes to stay and wins over both Picklewitch and her best friend Jack before starting to show his true colours. A genuinely sinister villain emerges, but there’s nimble dialogue, made-up words and silly spells galore to ensure this is a playful comic delight.

[Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as fun and thrilling as the first. Greatly enjoyed!

[Bob Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the first Picklewitch & Jack book and have been very much looking forward to the follow-up, which I am delighted to say is every bit as good, if not better. To use words Picklewitch would understand, if Book 1 was the kipper's knickers, then The Cuckoo Cousin is the entire underwater underwear drawer. There is a laugh out loud moment on every page, but beautiful descriptions of the countryside and sparkling characterisations which teach important lessons about loyalty, friendship and jealousy, but all done with such huge charm that you'd hardly know they were lessons at all. The plots cracks along at a terrific pace, has moments of genuine jeopardy and fiendish twists I certainly didn't see coming. If there is any justice, then this book should catapult the brilliant Claire Barker to the top of the lists of comic writers for children, where she very much belongs. If this wasn't enough, the book is full of gorgeous illustrations by rising star Teemu Juhani. I can't recommend it highly enough.