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Cattywampus
The magical story of a hex that goes haywire, and the power of friendship to set things right!
In the town of Howler's Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill's skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family's secret book of hexes, she's itching to use it to banish her mama's money troubles. She just has to keep it quieter than a church mouse -- not exactly Delpha's specialty.
Trouble is, Katybird Hearn is hankering to get her hands on the spell book, too. The daughter of a rival witching family, Katy has reasons of her own for wanting to learn forbidden magic, and she's not going to let an age-old feud or Delpha's contrary ways stop her. But their quarrel accidentally unleashes a hex so heinous it resurrects a graveyard full of angry Hearn and McGill ancestors bent on total destruction. If Delpha and Katy want to reverse the spell in time to save everyone in the Hollow from rampaging zombies, they'll need to mend fences and work together.
Fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Witch Boy will love this funny, folksy, fresh debut from Ash Van Otterloo that proves sometimes it takes two witches to make the strongest magic happen.
In the town of Howler's Hollow, conjuring magic is strictly off-limits. Only nothing makes Delpha McGill's skin crawl more than rules. So when she finds her family's secret book of hexes, she's itching to use it to banish her mama's money troubles. She just has to keep it quieter than a church mouse -- not exactly Delpha's specialty.
Trouble is, Katybird Hearn is hankering to get her hands on the spell book, too. The daughter of a rival witching family, Katy has reasons of her own for wanting to learn forbidden magic, and she's not going to let an age-old feud or Delpha's contrary ways stop her. But their quarrel accidentally unleashes a hex so heinous it resurrects a graveyard full of angry Hearn and McGill ancestors bent on total destruction. If Delpha and Katy want to reverse the spell in time to save everyone in the Hollow from rampaging zombies, they'll need to mend fences and work together.
Fans of A Snicker of Magic and The Witch Boy will love this funny, folksy, fresh debut from Ash Van Otterloo that proves sometimes it takes two witches to make the strongest magic happen.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2020
30 people are currently reading
1931 people want to read
About the author
Ash Van Otterloo
5 books90 followersAsh Van Otterloo was born and raised in the Appalachian foothills, then made his home for seventeen years as an adult in Eastern Tennessee. Their personal pronouns are he/him or they/them; both work!
They currently reside in the PNW with four wild forest gremlins with a small menagerie of animals. Ash is the author of CATTYWAMPUS, A TOUCH OF RUCKUS, and most recently, a nonbinary coming-of-age story THE BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING ELSE (Scholastic, May '23).
Whether or not he is 5328 bats in a trenchcoat is a topic for gossip among his neighbors. The ones, at least, that the bats haven't carried away! You can learn more about him at ashvanotterloo.com.
They currently reside in the PNW with four wild forest gremlins with a small menagerie of animals. Ash is the author of CATTYWAMPUS, A TOUCH OF RUCKUS, and most recently, a nonbinary coming-of-age story THE BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING ELSE (Scholastic, May '23).
Whether or not he is 5328 bats in a trenchcoat is a topic for gossip among his neighbors. The ones, at least, that the bats haven't carried away! You can learn more about him at ashvanotterloo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
April 4, 2021
I'm partial to it!
May 3, 2022
This was so fun!!
Cattywampus follows two young witches from families with a history of feuding. Delpha McGill hates rules and wants to learn magic more than anything. When she finds her families old grimoire, she thinks she's found the answers to all her problems. But Katybird Hern has her own uses for said spellbook, and the two end up fighting over it. Together, they unintentionally release a hex that brings all their dead relatives back to life as zombies. They'll have to reverse the curse before their ancestors tear the town apart.
This was so sweet and so cute. I really enjoyed this one. I loved seeing Katy and Delpha have to learn how to trust one another. Also Tyler's constant surprise appearances were my favorite. He so badly wants to be the girls friends and they are SO clueless. They kept trying to get rid of him because magic is secret, but he just shows back up again. Ultimately, the three start to develop a beautiful friendship and I loved it so much. This book has so many good feels!
I enjoyed the family feud and zombie plot line. I loved seeing Katybird grow more confident with herself and more comfortable in her own skin. I think she still has some growing to do, but she's realized some big things and I love that for her.
Overall, this one is a gem and I have no complaints. Cannot recommend this one enough!
Rep: white intersex female MC, white cis female MC, cis male side character with asthma and two moms (one is white and the other is Black), white deaf cis male side character, various cishet side characters.
CWs: Injury/injury detail, violence, grief, religious bigotry. Moderate: death, blood, car accident.
Cattywampus follows two young witches from families with a history of feuding. Delpha McGill hates rules and wants to learn magic more than anything. When she finds her families old grimoire, she thinks she's found the answers to all her problems. But Katybird Hern has her own uses for said spellbook, and the two end up fighting over it. Together, they unintentionally release a hex that brings all their dead relatives back to life as zombies. They'll have to reverse the curse before their ancestors tear the town apart.
This was so sweet and so cute. I really enjoyed this one. I loved seeing Katy and Delpha have to learn how to trust one another. Also Tyler's constant surprise appearances were my favorite. He so badly wants to be the girls friends and they are SO clueless. They kept trying to get rid of him because magic is secret, but he just shows back up again. Ultimately, the three start to develop a beautiful friendship and I loved it so much. This book has so many good feels!
I enjoyed the family feud and zombie plot line. I loved seeing Katybird grow more confident with herself and more comfortable in her own skin. I think she still has some growing to do, but she's realized some big things and I love that for her.
Overall, this one is a gem and I have no complaints. Cannot recommend this one enough!
Rep: white intersex female MC, white cis female MC, cis male side character with asthma and two moms (one is white and the other is Black), white deaf cis male side character, various cishet side characters.
CWs: Injury/injury detail, violence, grief, religious bigotry. Moderate: death, blood, car accident.
April 18, 2020
My advanced reader copy arrived just at the beginning of the current pandemic and it was an utterly delightful diversion from all that has been going on. Cattywampus is delightful story of rival families, forbidden magic, and making really big mistakes that can only be fixed by working together. It is set in rural Appalachia and it does a beautiful job of depicting both the beauty and the challenges of its setting without ever descending into being patronizing. This is something that many authors struggle with when writing about life in this part of the country and Ash Van Otterloo has done a masterfully honest job of portraying southern life in all its beautiful complexity in this fun book. I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy as soon as you can and I consider myself fortunate to have had this world to escape to during this difficult time.
October 18, 2025
I had the absolute pleasure of getting an advanced reader copy of this book! I wish I had a book like this as a tween! This is exactly the kind of vibe I would have obsessed over! I love seeing characters I would’ve related to as a kid!!!!
January 2, 2020
First finished book of 2020 is this gem of a story, a wonderfully inclusive book all about unlikely friendships and the Very Real Magic they can create.
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January 14, 2020Queer content: one of the two MCs is intersex, and another character has two moms
April 4, 2021
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Katybird (mc) intersex; Caleb (sc) Deaf; Tyler (sc) asthma & has two mums.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • Twitter • Instagram
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July 15, 2021Unfortunately this fell very flat for me for a number of reasons but I liked seeing Katybird and Delpha become friends. This was also the first time I'd seen intersex rep in MG!
January 21, 2020
This book is a complete and utter delight! It's rare that an author writes a book with magic and yet so deftly roots it into a very real place with very real people. So often characters who can do magic are just a little removed somehow from the world where we readers live but I felt as if the characters in Cattywampus were people I knew and I held my breath rooting for them as they went through difficulties. The pace is fast and I read through it all in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. There's a reversing spell that is just the most hilarious, down-to-earth bit of spellwork I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The book is witty, gritty, heartwarming, and fresh. The only downside to reading it was as soon as I finished it I wanted MORE, lots more about the characters and their lives!
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December 16, 2021Love this cute, spooky middle grade novel about two preteen girls from rival witch families who accidentally awaken their zombie ancestors, thus restarting a generations-old war! Set in Appalachia, Cattywampus is so fun & whimsical but also tackling serious topics like identity, family (blood & chosen), and finding your place in the world.
I especially love the intersex rep that is woven so casually into the story, and there are more queer characters in the supporting cast. This was lovely and I will absolutely be reading more from Ash Van Otterloo!
CW: Parent abandonment, scary elements (zombies, peril, light gore--all still appropriate for upper elementary & middle school students IMO), brief HP reference in Chapter 5.
More of my bookish thoughts here: Instagram | My Blog | Twitter
I especially love the intersex rep that is woven so casually into the story, and there are more queer characters in the supporting cast. This was lovely and I will absolutely be reading more from Ash Van Otterloo!
CW: Parent abandonment, scary elements (zombies, peril, light gore--all still appropriate for upper elementary & middle school students IMO), brief HP reference in Chapter 5.
More of my bookish thoughts here: Instagram | My Blog | Twitter
December 29, 2019
I was so lucky to read an ARC of this fun, funny, and absolutely magical middle grade debut. I giggled my way through the whole book, both because of the hilarious dialogue and the unexpected events of the plot--an enchanted outhouse? Devilish zombie grannies?
The author weaves Appalachian culture with her own original magic so seamlessly. Her characters have a ton of heart and grit, which is the perfect character combo.
CATTYWAMPUS is a Southern yarn in all the best ways--it's warm and welcoming and promises you a wild ride. You'll want to settle into this story and stay awhile.
The author weaves Appalachian culture with her own original magic so seamlessly. Her characters have a ton of heart and grit, which is the perfect character combo.
CATTYWAMPUS is a Southern yarn in all the best ways--it's warm and welcoming and promises you a wild ride. You'll want to settle into this story and stay awhile.
September 25, 2020
Gahhh! This is amazing! This book is full of magic and beautifully showcases the doubts, love, and unconscious biases towards folks who are intersex. To have a junior book have a main character who is intersex, another who is fighting terribly to never let anyone in (or else they'll leave like everyone else does), and honest portrayals of the heavy load living in poverty and the necessity of making kids grow up faster than they ever should, is so deeply powerful that I am so happy to of read this creepy fun zombie treasure!
February 19, 2026
DNF at 62%. Fun story with likable and interesting characters, magic system(s?), and setting. All of that interesting didn't make the plot more fun for me though so I lost steam. I wanted more contemporary from this fantasy and that's just not fair to the book so let's say more objectively it'd be 4/5 stars but for me in particular at this time it was 3/5 dnf.
visibility | one of the protagonists is intersex!
reader health | pass /fail
thinky | pass /fail
writing style | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - no issues
characters | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - spectacular!
plot | ⭐⭐ - not for me
engagement | ⭐⭐ - not for me
visibility | one of the protagonists is intersex!
reader health | pass /
thinky | pass /
writing style | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - no issues
characters | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - spectacular!
plot | ⭐⭐ - not for me
engagement | ⭐⭐ - not for me
January 8, 2020
Magical, folksy middle grade debut about two new witches learning about themselves and their family history. I so wish I could quote from this book (but can't 'cause it's an ARC) because the voice is awesome and hilarious and fits the characters so nicely. Cattywampus is pretty much my most favorite of words even before reading this.
The character arcs of both Delpha and Katybird are wonderfully done. Delpha's childhood has been shaped by a dad who left one day and never came back. Katybird comes from a long line of female witches, except her magic feels stuck and it might be because she has a Y chromosome. We learn about androgen insensitivity in a way that's tucked in nicely to the plotline.
There are homemade wands, outhouses who remember when they were a tree, racoon pets, Snarly Yows, feuding zombies, hexes, hope, and a fabulous ending when both girls figure out how to save their families, friends, and themselves.
The character arcs of both Delpha and Katybird are wonderfully done. Delpha's childhood has been shaped by a dad who left one day and never came back. Katybird comes from a long line of female witches, except her magic feels stuck and it might be because she has a Y chromosome. We learn about androgen insensitivity in a way that's tucked in nicely to the plotline.
There are homemade wands, outhouses who remember when they were a tree, racoon pets, Snarly Yows, feuding zombies, hexes, hope, and a fabulous ending when both girls figure out how to save their families, friends, and themselves.
July 2, 2020
I have never read a story featuring the POV of an intersex character. I'm both irked that this is the case and so very grateful that Ash Van Otterloo wrote this into Katybird's wonderful arc.
One of the standout aspects of this story is the voice that oozes off the page. I spent some of my adolescence in the South, and although it didn't feel quite like the Southern accents I remember (because it's set in Appalachia which is a different region), it still gave me wicked nostalgia for the small rural towns I grew up in.
The story has a fun hook of witches from rival families raising their dead ancestors as zombies, but my favorite parts were more introspective, with Delpha coming to terms with her absent father and Katybird's journey to self-acceptance and celebration of her differences. Readers will enjoy the fun antics and also get something much deeper, more personal out of this story. This would be a fantastic addition to anyone's bookshelf.
One of the standout aspects of this story is the voice that oozes off the page. I spent some of my adolescence in the South, and although it didn't feel quite like the Southern accents I remember (because it's set in Appalachia which is a different region), it still gave me wicked nostalgia for the small rural towns I grew up in.
The story has a fun hook of witches from rival families raising their dead ancestors as zombies, but my favorite parts were more introspective, with Delpha coming to terms with her absent father and Katybird's journey to self-acceptance and celebration of her differences. Readers will enjoy the fun antics and also get something much deeper, more personal out of this story. This would be a fantastic addition to anyone's bookshelf.
June 20, 2021
I gush about this book in this BookTube video.
This is an absolutely wonderful middle grade novel about two witches in rival families coming into their powers. One has abandonment issues because he father left when she was young, making it hard for her mother to make ends meet. The other is intersex and is really hoping that doesn't mean that magic will skip her all together. I loved this.
This is an absolutely wonderful middle grade novel about two witches in rival families coming into their powers. One has abandonment issues because he father left when she was young, making it hard for her mother to make ends meet. The other is intersex and is really hoping that doesn't mean that magic will skip her all together. I loved this.
October 19, 2020
A folksy, magical MG debut about two young witches from rival families grappling with coming into their powers in the Appalachian mountains. Funny and quirky, this book charms from beginning to end with forbidden magic hexes gone wrong, cemeteries and friendship. Also has great intersex rep.
February 2, 2021
This book was such a delight! A really fun adventure full of friendship and magic (and an adorable raccoon!). Plus, the intersex representation is so well done and so great to see especially in a middle grade.
Can't wait to read more of this author's books!
Can't wait to read more of this author's books!
June 8, 2022
I found some of it off and the religion aspect kinda weird. Also not sure if i'm supposed to be offended at part of it, but I digress. Listening to it instead of reading it with my eyeballs might be to blame.
I had some laughs and some feels. I was both annoyed with and felt for the characters at different times. I'd say over-all I liked it, it just wasn't exactly my cup of tea and that's ok. I loved the diversity. Katy, one of the MC's, is intersex and has a deaf brother and another character has 2 mom's.
I had some laughs and some feels. I was both annoyed with and felt for the characters at different times. I'd say over-all I liked it, it just wasn't exactly my cup of tea and that's ok. I loved the diversity. Katy, one of the MC's, is intersex and has a deaf brother and another character has 2 mom's.
February 1, 2023
Unread shelf project 2023: book 21.
Ugh I loved this story. The rep was amazing, the values eschewed by the characters were excellent (power of friendship, love, forgiveness, honesty, as well as how hard it can be to be brave), and the writing was fun. I loved the setting and “cattywampus” is now on my mental list of delicious words!!
Ugh I loved this story. The rep was amazing, the values eschewed by the characters were excellent (power of friendship, love, forgiveness, honesty, as well as how hard it can be to be brave), and the writing was fun. I loved the setting and “cattywampus” is now on my mental list of delicious words!!
March 25, 2025
So great and a wonderfully thoughtfully book about what it means to be living in a world that you don't quite fit in.
February 11, 2020
Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC of this book for #bookportage.
The McGill and Hearn families were at each other's throat for generations over their magical use, until a peace settlement was reached. Most people have forgotten about that feud, and that magic ever existed in their town, but all that changes when Delpha McGill and Katybird Hearn butt heads and end up stirring up old trouble. Delpha's mom has banned the use of magic, but once she finds her family's old spell book, she's determined to practice. Katybird's magic doesn't seem to be working, but she desperately wants to understand and figure out what's happening with her sparking fingers. When the girls accidentally set off a hex that awakens their ancestors, who then want to destroy each other, Delpha and Katy need to figure out if they can work together to fix things.
This was a really enjoyable story, and will appeal to kids who love zombies and magic without the dark and spooky elements. It's quite funny, especially when the spells get mixed up (who can resist an old outhouse that goes tromping through the forest?), and yet touches on some more serious topics about family and self-esteem. Delpha's dad abandoned her at a young age, and it's hard for her to open to heart to anyone. Katybird is intersex, and wonders if her magic isn't good enough because she has XY chromosomes instead of XX. It's a story with a lot of heart and humor that I think kids are really going to enjoy.
I recommend you add this story to your TBR list for August 2020.
The McGill and Hearn families were at each other's throat for generations over their magical use, until a peace settlement was reached. Most people have forgotten about that feud, and that magic ever existed in their town, but all that changes when Delpha McGill and Katybird Hearn butt heads and end up stirring up old trouble. Delpha's mom has banned the use of magic, but once she finds her family's old spell book, she's determined to practice. Katybird's magic doesn't seem to be working, but she desperately wants to understand and figure out what's happening with her sparking fingers. When the girls accidentally set off a hex that awakens their ancestors, who then want to destroy each other, Delpha and Katy need to figure out if they can work together to fix things.
This was a really enjoyable story, and will appeal to kids who love zombies and magic without the dark and spooky elements. It's quite funny, especially when the spells get mixed up (who can resist an old outhouse that goes tromping through the forest?), and yet touches on some more serious topics about family and self-esteem. Delpha's dad abandoned her at a young age, and it's hard for her to open to heart to anyone. Katybird is intersex, and wonders if her magic isn't good enough because she has XY chromosomes instead of XX. It's a story with a lot of heart and humor that I think kids are really going to enjoy.
I recommend you add this story to your TBR list for August 2020.
January 18, 2022
What I loved:
~ Really clear, well-voiced POVs
~ Intersex main character. This was really solid, important representation
~ Casual disability representation: Deaf younger brother, side character with asthma
~ Complex main characters
~ The rivalry/friendship between Katybird and Delpha
What I liked less:
~ The pacing was very off (too slow at the beginning, rushed at the end)
~ Felt a bit unfocused at times: There was too much packed into one book, which I think resulted in the pacing being off
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read more by this author. As a side note: The audiobook narration was excellent!
~ Really clear, well-voiced POVs
~ Intersex main character. This was really solid, important representation
~ Casual disability representation: Deaf younger brother, side character with asthma
~ Complex main characters
~ The rivalry/friendship between Katybird and Delpha
What I liked less:
~ The pacing was very off (too slow at the beginning, rushed at the end)
~ Felt a bit unfocused at times: There was too much packed into one book, which I think resulted in the pacing being off
Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read more by this author. As a side note: The audiobook narration was excellent!
August 27, 2021
This book was a fantastically fun read! I started it to get out of a reading slump and it definitely did the trick. It’s beautifully written with wonderful lgbtq+ representation and themes of broken families that leave the reader optimistic in the end. It’s everything I wish I had in a book when I was a kid.
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August 12, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Persecution for witchcraft
Parental abandonment discussed
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin recounted
Death of a grandmother from dementia recounted
Death of a brother & child by drowning mentioned
Car accident recounted
Persecution for witchcraft
Parental abandonment discussed
Grief & loss depiction
Death of a cousin recounted
Death of a grandmother from dementia recounted
Death of a brother & child by drowning mentioned
Car accident recounted
June 22, 2024
Two tribes of warring witches have reached the ends of their respective lines in Delpha and Katybird. But the girls can't help but be curious about their magic, and while Katybird isn't sure she'll ever get her magic to work right because she's not sure she's really a girl, Delpha is hiding from the hurt caused by her mother's avoidance of magic and her father's disappearance. When the two bump into one another while tracking Delpha's runaway animated woodshed, Delpha mistakes Katy's unpredictable magic for a threat and they accidentally unleash a zombie war.
I wasn't sure what to expect based on the cover and title, but I was looking for a title that had an intersex character, and this book delivered in a powerful way. Not only were Katy's questionable chromisomes explained in detail, her questions about her true identity directly worked into the plot and solutions. I didn't immediately love Delpha, but as I got to know her story and understand why she makes the choices she does, it made the whole book feel rich and vivid. Other characters, including a deaf younger brother and a few unexpected friends worked to create a fast-paced and thrilling story. I appreciate that this book hints at the prejudice toward hillbillies as well, creating a thoroughly fascinating story that really came together in the end.
I wasn't sure what to expect based on the cover and title, but I was looking for a title that had an intersex character, and this book delivered in a powerful way. Not only were Katy's questionable chromisomes explained in detail, her questions about her true identity directly worked into the plot and solutions. I didn't immediately love Delpha, but as I got to know her story and understand why she makes the choices she does, it made the whole book feel rich and vivid. Other characters, including a deaf younger brother and a few unexpected friends worked to create a fast-paced and thrilling story. I appreciate that this book hints at the prejudice toward hillbillies as well, creating a thoroughly fascinating story that really came together in the end.
May 10, 2023
Audio via Hoopla
Read for Middle Grade May 2023
Fun read! Young witches from feuding families in Appalachian North Carolina must cooperate to save their town from a hex they may have accidentally cast. I love their friend Tyler, who is fascinated with haints and wants to help the girls... and has a secret of his own!
One of the girls, Katybird, is nervous because she is intersex and the magic in her family is passed from mother to daughter. Her magic is showing up, but in an unpredictable and painful way. I really loved the treatment of her physical body vs her self, and her disdain for people treating her like she was less-than because she would not be having babies. It was a really good, positive rep. Also Katybird's little brother is deaf/HOH and signs. It's not treated as being heroic or diminishing him in any way, it's just a characteristic and it is never used as a plot twist or trick.
Like many Middle Grade books this is one of those adventures where the kids are out for like 3 days on their own and their parents are mad but it all works out, ha. See, Disney, you can do that without killing the parents, we are capable of suspending disbelief. :)
Read for Middle Grade May 2023
Fun read! Young witches from feuding families in Appalachian North Carolina must cooperate to save their town from a hex they may have accidentally cast. I love their friend Tyler, who is fascinated with haints and wants to help the girls... and has a secret of his own!
One of the girls, Katybird, is nervous because she is intersex and the magic in her family is passed from mother to daughter. Her magic is showing up, but in an unpredictable and painful way. I really loved the treatment of her physical body vs her self, and her disdain for people treating her like she was less-than because she would not be having babies. It was a really good, positive rep. Also Katybird's little brother is deaf/HOH and signs. It's not treated as being heroic or diminishing him in any way, it's just a characteristic and it is never used as a plot twist or trick.
Like many Middle Grade books this is one of those adventures where the kids are out for like 3 days on their own and their parents are mad but it all works out, ha. See, Disney, you can do that without killing the parents, we are capable of suspending disbelief. :)
March 27, 2024
This was very fun!
Through no fault of this book, I could not stay focused. My brain is out to get me sometimes and for the life of me I had to rewind this book multiple times because I kept zoning out. I genuinely don't think this has anything to do with the book but it does have to do with my experience reading it which unfortunately wasn't as good as I think it could have been.
I loved the fueling families plot line and the zombies. I especially love Tyler and how badly he wanted to be friends with the girls. I also love seeing intersex representation. It's probably my least read Queer identity so I am pleased to add this to my recommendations for intersex representation.
Through no fault of this book, I could not stay focused. My brain is out to get me sometimes and for the life of me I had to rewind this book multiple times because I kept zoning out. I genuinely don't think this has anything to do with the book but it does have to do with my experience reading it which unfortunately wasn't as good as I think it could have been.
I loved the fueling families plot line and the zombies. I especially love Tyler and how badly he wanted to be friends with the girls. I also love seeing intersex representation. It's probably my least read Queer identity so I am pleased to add this to my recommendations for intersex representation.
September 21, 2022
3.5 stars. I listened to this while my 6th grader read it for class. I rarely read middle grade books but the premise struck me and I thought it would be fun to discuss with my child.
I was off-kilter at the start of the story because the time period wasn’t clearly stated. I thought this could be set in 1800s or the 2000s. The answer eventually became clear but the setting threw me off, the voices in the (excellent) audio, and probably because I’m also listening to a hefty bio of Laura Ingalls Wilder at the same time.
I think middle grade readers will love the magic, the burgeoning but difficult friendships (though my kid is no fan of Delpha), and the surprise reveals throughout. Seriously though, the audio is top notch. The zombie voices were on point.
I was off-kilter at the start of the story because the time period wasn’t clearly stated. I thought this could be set in 1800s or the 2000s. The answer eventually became clear but the setting threw me off, the voices in the (excellent) audio, and probably because I’m also listening to a hefty bio of Laura Ingalls Wilder at the same time.
I think middle grade readers will love the magic, the burgeoning but difficult friendships (though my kid is no fan of Delpha), and the surprise reveals throughout. Seriously though, the audio is top notch. The zombie voices were on point.
November 11, 2020
This is probably one of the best middle grade reads I have checked out this year. Funny, quirky, and full of magic, this is one of those stories where family rivalries mean accidental zombies. A total hoot and one worth checking out if you love adorable middle graders and magical fun times!
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