Boo-La-La Witch Spa

July 27, 2015
Halloween can be exhausting, so a chestnut-haired young witch heads to Witch Spa to rejuvenate. Doted upon by impish, blobby, and furry creatures, she enjoys a “Broom Bristle Facial,” naps in a pool of snail drool, and receives a “Hag Stone Massage from a highly skilled troll.” Berger’s (Snoozefest) rhymes can occasionally get convoluted (“The chef brings her lunch,/ it’s Hex-Mex and Jinx-Drinks,/ but the Candy Corn Flan is/ the best, the witch thinks”), but most are a lot of fun: “Then it’s off for a soak in a cauldron of mold/ from four hundred fungi, four hundred years old.” Roxas’s (The Case of the Missing Donut) spa has a hint of Hogwarts, but with more facials, cushy batik-print pillows, and gigantic jewel-tone fungi. Who knew gross could be so glam? Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agency: Pippin Properties.

August 1, 2015
It seems even witches like to treat themselves to a bit of TLC after the frenzy of Halloween. Berger follows a pleasant young witch who "feels worn out and majorly blah," so "she books herself into the fab-BOO Witch Spa." The rhyming couplets relentlessly describe every detail, including (but not limited to) "toadstool-and-skunk candles filling the air, / and paths of black rose petals, scattered with care." She luxuriates in the Broom Bristle Facial, a Serpent Spit Spritzer, and a Scalp Scrub administered by a couple of spiders. Roxas has fun illustrating the action in a wide range of full-bleed spreads, framed pages, and vignettes. A particularly silly scene showcases the witch in a massage chair reading such magazines as Craftsmopolitan and VooDoo-y Fair. Kids will especially like seeing how the witch's familiar, a black cat, enjoys the spa. But a little cleverness goes a long way. Without any real plot, the spa day begins to drag on. By the time the witch is enjoying lunch (Hex-Mex and Jinx-Drinks), most readers will be ready for this slim tale to be over. The excess smothers any potential oohs and aahs. (Picture book. 4-6)

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September 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-Where does a witch go for a little relaxation? The fab-BOO Witch Spa, of course, where worn-out witches are pampered and primped from the moment they walk in the door. Readers accompany Leeza and her requisite black cat through a transformative day at the spa in the capable hands of the gnomes, trolls, warlocks, and assorted other creatures who work there. The flawless rhyming text doesn't skimp on content and seamlessly weaves in satisfying similes and puns without feeling overdone. Tireless alliteration describes every witchy spa treatment imaginable, from a "Broom Bristle Facial" to a "Scarab Skin Scrub." Roxas's mixed-media illustrations perfectly complement this whimsical offering. The pages are filled with color-rich layers and textures and plenty of details sure to satisfy those who like to linger. Spa experience will certainly enhance reader appreciation, but even those who have never set foot in a spa will delight in Leeza's day. What's more, with nary a mention of Halloween save for the publisher's summary, Witch Spa will have year-round appeal. VERDICT A delightful addition to collections that could use a new wave witch story.-Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA

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