Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage

Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage is a very cute book. Clover, who is 11, goes to work at a cottage for a witch, Mrs. Eckles, cleaning her place for her. The witch has a sister, Mesmeranza, who wants to take the cottage from her and plans very long on just how she will try to do that. Clover meets some interesting characters, like the bumbling boy Wilf and the witches cat named Neville. The story kept me engrossed and I didn't want to put it down. The book says it is meant for ages 9 and up, but I think the book is a bit too easy for that old of a crowd. They would probably enjoy the book, but it wouldn't really challenge a good reader. This is a good book for those kids who are not quite ready for the challenge of the Harry Potter books but yet still like the magical theme of books. Overall its a fun book that's well written and tells a nice story.

Clover Twig is ten years old and describes herself as, "hardworking, tidy, honest, mostly sensible, and sometimes stubborn." She can read and write, but is most talented at cleaning, which is how she ends up employed as a housekeeper for a witch. Unfortunately, this witch, Demelza, has an evil sister who is up to no good. She has a PLAN, and intends to use an appetizing cake left on the doorstep to foil her sister's defensive spells. "No one leaves a cake out in the rain." purrs the wicked Mesmeranza. What tale would be complete without a sidekick or two for our heroine? Clover is joined in her adventures by the clumsy neighbor boy, Wilfred, and Demelza's cat, Neville. This book is fun and considerably lighter in tone than most of the other magic books on the market. Kids who read well at about the 4th grade level should enjoy it, regardless of age. Mesmeranza locks the children in a dungeon and feeds them bread and water, but there's never any hint of truly foul deeds.

Saying much about the plot of _Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage_ would spoil the book, which is full of surprises and twists and turns. Perhaps it would be better to tell who some of the characters are. First, there's Clover Twig, who is practical, tidy, and very adult at only 10 years of age. Clover goes to work for a witch by the name of Demelza Eckles. Mrs. Eckles is a good and kind witch, but messy and desperately in need of a reliable live-in housekeeper like Clover. Sometimes she also has errands done for her by Wilf, an accident-prone but well-meaning boy. He, in addition to Clover, becomes one of the two main characters. Then there's Demelza Eckles' sister, vain Mesmeranza. Demelza has something Mesmeranza wants desperately and will do anything to get. You see, Mesmeranza is NOT a good witch. She's plotting and planning something sneaky, and aims to trick the children into helping her with her plan. Author Kaye Umansky seems to have a love of language, giving her characters funny names that fit their personalities. She also employs alliteration and other language gags--such as with Mesmeranza's personal secretary, who can't pronounce more and more letters as she gets sicker and her congestion thicker. Some of the language play is reminiscent of Roald Dahl. All of the other characters have their flaws and idiosyncrasies (including the cat and the flying horse), all, that is, except for main character Clover. The witches really aren't all that scary, even the bad witch Mesmeranza. After all, it's difficult to be scary if you're a vain witch who insists upon wearing high heels.

What a delightful book! Likeable characters, unpredictable story (thank you Umansky!!), fantastic voice, vivid imagery, and a rolicking sense of fun. Although it could probably be classified as an adventure/witch novel, I found myself laughing every few pages at things like the witch's bizarre initial question to a girl interviewing for a job: "first off, are you stupid?" or smiling at the visuals, such as this description of a cottage: "the whole structure sagged heavily to one side, as though it was too exhausted to stand up straight." I love that the main character is very responsible and yet likeable anyway. I found all the characters believable and engaging, and was genuinely curious to watch some of them interact with each other. I'm in my 30s but actually stayed up late to finish reading this... haven't done that with a children's book for years. Can't resist sharing this funny excerpt of a poorly crafted love poem--"'That's it!' said Humperdump, surveying his handiwork. 'Roses is red, gray is the sky, cow pats is greeny brown, and I loves Miss Fly.'"

This children's story kept me interested from cover to cover. The characters are likeable and unique; the setting of the story - a magical cottage at the edge of a forest - is perfect for a children's story, and the tale itself moves along at a child-pleasing clip. "Tidy and sensible," Clover Twig decides she should get a job and help her financially struggling family. She finds a job almost immediately and not only gets a salary, but she lives in the cottage of her employer, saving her parents the expense of feeding her. Clover works for a rather untidy Witch who has a rather smelly, unfriendly cat, but Clover has her very own room for the first time in her life and her employer, Mrs. Demelza Eckle turns out to be a very wise and friendly Witch. Of course, if there is a good Witch, there must be a bad Witch. Mrs. Eckle's sister, Mesmeranza, is the bad Witch. Clover and her friend, Wilf, who can't take more than a step or two without breaking something or tripping, find themselves involved in an unpleasant adventure battling Mesmeranza while trying to protect the magical cottage. Comical in spots,enchanting with touches of mystery and adventure, this story is one that children will enjoy; it allows a child's imagination to take flight. Author Kaye Umansky, author of over 130 books for young readers,lives in North London with her husband Mo.