- Newly Added eBooks
- Newly Added Audiobooks
- Once Upon a Crime
- Mysteries for Book Lovers
- Modern Horror
- Trending on BookTok
- Good Enough to Eat
- Popular Nonfiction
- Narrative History
- If you like Colleen Hoover...
- Romantasy
- Books That Bring Joy
- Celebrity Memoirs
- See all ebooks collections
When Molly shows up on Castle Hangnail's doorstep to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the castle's minions are understandably dubious. After all, she is twelve years old, barely five feet tall, and quite polite. (The minions are used to tall, demanding evil sorceresses with razor-sharp cheekbones.) But the castle desperately needs a master or else the Board of Magic will decommission it, leaving all the minions without the home they love. So when Molly assures them she is quite wicked indeed (So wicked! REALLY wicked!) and begins completing the tasks required by the Board of Magic for approval, everyone feels hopeful. Unfortunately, it turns out that Molly has quite a few secrets, including the biggest one of all: that she isn't who she says she is.
This quirky, richly illustrated novel is filled with humor, magic, and an unforgettable all-star cast of castle characters.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
April 21, 2015 -
Formats
-
Kindle Book
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780698154148
- File size: 12124 KB
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780698154148
- File size: 12816 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Levels
- ATOS Level: 5.1
- Lexile® Measure: 730
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3-4
-
Reviews
-
Publisher's Weekly
April 27, 2015
Castle Hangnail desperately needs a master, but when 12-year-old Molly, a charming but not-so-wicked witch, arrives for the job, she has an uphill battle persuading the castle's servants that she has what it takes to save their beloved home from decommission. Can Molly defend the property, manage the minions, and assure the Board of Magic that she's the real deal? Molly must first win the hearts of her bizarre slate of servants, including a minotaur for a cook, a woman made entirely of steam, a walking suit of armor, and a stern and skeptical guardian with body parts that "looked to have been dead for quite some time." Molly entertainingly checks off the tasks required, but she still has to face her largest enemy and realize her own power before she can save the castle. In both the narration and occasional b&w illustrations, Vernon (the Dragonbreath series) deftly weaves silly, suspenseful, and only slightly scary elements throughout this engaging coming-of-age story, which will easily appeal to fans of spells and sorcery. Ages 8â12. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. -
Kirkus
Starred review from February 1, 2015
Castle Hangnail is in desperate need of a new Master; 12-year-old budding Wicked Witch Molly might be just the person to fill the position.The crumbling castle is in real danger of being decommissioned, and the resident minions fear the loss of their longtime home. It's fairly easy to overlook the fact that the short, rather kindly girl in the witchy boots seems a somewhat unusual candidate for the job. That might just be because she stole the invitation to apply from a nasty young sorceress and is, therefore, something of a fraud. In a droll, ironic style that fans of Terry Pratchett will appreciate, Vernon (Dragonbreath, 2012, etc.) creatively-even joyfully-explores the well-worn trope of young teen witchcraft. Molly, fiercely defensive of her new home and loyal followers, is just beginning to understand the nature of her power. Her successes are engaging, hard-won and fully believable. Characters as unusual as a steaming teapot spirit, mother-and-son Minotaurs who ably manage the castle kitchen, a near-empty suit of armor, a Frankenstein-like castle manager and a lively stuffed doll that does all the sewing come fully, sometimes hilariously to life. Illustrations liberally sprinkled throughout add yet another satisfying dimension. An appealing protagonist, lots of action, clever, witty writing, witchcraft and evildoers who get nothing but what they deserve-what's not to love? (Fantasy. 10-16)COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
School Library Journal
January 1, 2015
Gr 4-6-Molly, a 12-year-old witch, arrives as the new master of Castle Hangnail, despite some misgivings on the part of Majordomo, the Igor-like guardian responsible for the management of its legacy and various minion occupants. To keep the castle from having its magic removed and its minions dispersed, Molly must perform a series of wicked tasks, which may be beyond the scope of her moral compass and her fledgling powers. Featuring a bevy of cute and unthreatening touches and populated throughout with spot illustrations, the book quickly establishes grounded and effective stakes. One the one hand, a character is a hypochondriac goldfish, but on the other, a child is responsible for the livelihoods of several adults and is hiding secrets that could drastically affect them. To have these aspects exist side by side so seamlessly is testament to the author's careful maneuvering of tone, including a finale that solidly shows the story's veneer of innocence is overlaid on significant and deadly consequences. While that depth could make the peril disquietingly real for younger readers, it offers a read with substance and resonance, despite the more whimsical trappings. An appealing fantasy for upper middle grade readers.-Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-
Booklist
March 15, 2015
Grades 4-7 Castle Hangnail must have a master or it will be decommissioned. So when 12-year-old Molly shows up on the doorstep, claiming to be the new master, most of the minions working in the castle accept her despite her youth and seeming lack of true evil. After all, she has the invitation from the Board of Magic, and she can perform magic. But the castle has fallen into disrepair, and the board's list of tasks (including blighting, smiting, and defending) must be completed if she is truly to be master. When an old and powerful rival of Molly's shows up to claim the castle for herself, all that Molly can do may not be enough. In the tradition of Eva Ibbotson comes a wacky, heartwarming tale of magic, friendship, and home. Creatively drawn charactersfrom a Minotaur cook to a donkey-dragon to clockwork beesenjoy mutual respect and will sacrifice whatever is needed to safeguard the castle and its master. The illustrations add whimsy to this delightful tale, and the satisfying conclusion leaves the door cracked for future adventures.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.) -
The Horn Book
July 1, 2015
Molly--a twelve-year-old not-so-wicked witch--and an evil sorceress both vie for the approval of the apprehensive minions of the magical Castle Hangnail. This is an overall amusing read, with wannabe evil minions running a would-be gloomy castle--which is surrounded by sunny dandelions. Molly is a likable, just-witchy-enough protagonist.(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
-
Formats
- Kindle Book
- OverDrive Read
- EPUB ebook
Languages
- English
Levels
- ATOS Level:5.1
- Lexile® Measure:730
- Interest Level:4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty:3-4
Loading
Why is availability limited?
×Availability can change throughout the month based on the library's budget. You can still place a hold on the title, and your hold will be automatically filled as soon as the title is available again.
The Kindle Book format for this title is not supported on:
×Read-along ebook
×The OverDrive Read format of this ebook has professional narration that plays while you read in your browser. Learn more here.