Rise of the Witch is the first in a projected series featuring Wren Westerly, who starts off as the most despised person in town (since her mother was a witch) but then discovers that she too may be a witch so she escapes with the wrath of Everglade after her and also a terrifying creature called The Eater. She has two companions, Blue, her long time and only friend and Wish, a gentle goat boy.
Black takes time to establish her setting, describing the world of Everglade and its surrounds, we get some history, and meet the leading citizens. She has created a world where magic has been neglected and it is Wren and her friends who bring about welcome changes. There is plenty of confrontation, minor and major that keeps the reader turning the pages. Wren is beset by doubts, with a constant negative voice in her head, called The Sludge. She has a lot of problems to solve – find out what kind of witch she is, discover the truth about her mother, what is the purpose of the Heart necklace and more.
This is Australian author Kitty Black’s debut middle grade novel. She is best known to date for her many picture books which include If I Were a Lion, Mr Bat Wants a Hat, and Whose Afraid of the Quite Nice Wolf?
