by Carrie Clickard (Author) John Shelley (Illustrator)
On the corner of Hemlock and Blight, the magic shop of Miss Pustula Night is open for business. Creepy curiosities and endless enchantments fill the shelves, but it's the rumor of a shop ghost that really has kids excited.
Brave Georgie McQuist has been double-dared to find the phantom, and he's up to the task-- but he never expected that he'd give the ghost a fright! Together, boy and ghost take on the task of cataloging every last treasure in Miss Pustula's crowded and cavernous cellar, down to the last spell and skeleton-- but what will the witch do when she catches them there?
The deliciously spooky, tongue-twistingly clever rhymes in this story are illustrated in lavish detail-- each creep and kraken crawls across the pages, and Miss Night's shelves are crowded with pickled elves and dusty potions. From the first friendly fright to the last lurking ghoul, this adventure is perfect for Halloween. . . and beyond.
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K-Gr 2--Georgie McQuist has been double dared to enter the scariest place around, a shop filled with oddities and marvels that will fascinate young readers. There, he meets a trapped ghost tasked with inventorying the shop. Georgie isn't scared, though, so he promptly begins to help his new friend, checking off each item like so: "flutes that play a banshee's wails, armor made of dragon scales, talking owls complete with tree, a book on ancient alchemy." With the task complete, all that's left is to meet the owner. After introducing a moment of suspense, the author produces a satisfying twist and a funny conclusion--children will love what Georgie brings in for show-and-tell. The book is told in alternating poetic schemes: first limericks, then rhyming pairs, then limericks again. The illustrations are just as whimsical, with their layers upon layers of occult items. Despite the clutter of Miss Pustula Night's shop, India ink clearly distinguishes the objects from one another. This also proves to be a wise design choice because many of the spreads feature a different complementary palette of watercolors. Georgie himself always pops out, thanks to the assorted colors that make up his geeky adventurer's garb. VERDICT For children who always have their heads in the clouds, this title will whisk them away with its fantastical setting and fun rhymes.--Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission."What would the stock of a magic shop be like? . . . Beginning with an outside view of the shop, with its caged skeleton and toothy Unwelcome Mat, Shelley expands on Clickard's tally of witchly and wizardly stock in trade by further cramming every nook and shelf in sight with precisely detailed arcane items and thrillingly icky specimens. One-stop shopping for all your elixir, potion, and spellcasting needs. Jinxes 50 percent off!" —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review