THE GINGERBREAD WITCH

After Mother Agatha, who raised her in a gingerbread house, is burned to ashes, 12-year-old Maud sets out through the dangerous Shadelands in search of a way to bring her back to life.

Overy’s new spin on fairy-tale favorites is a series opener that includes characters from "Hansel and Gretel" and "Little Red Riding Hood"—plus a three-legged wolf with violet fur aptly named Grim. Maud is not quite human but not fully witch either—she’s a creation of Mother Agatha, who quite literally made her from enchanted gingerbread. After Agatha is pushed into a fire by witch-hunting Wolves, Maud seeks to revive her from the ashes. Along the way, she encounters the Wolves and a mysterious witch named Vira and learns to trust her instincts. Overy’s story is well paced; the sense of urgency around saving Agatha keeps the pages turning. Maud’s sidekicks—Grim and two gingerbread-made creatures, Nuss the squirrel and Florian the vulture—are utterly charming and full of personality. While most of the plot threads are tied together at the end, a few details are frustratingly left unresolved, possibly leaving room for a sequel. Although made from gingerbread, Maud is described as having white skin.

A modern reimagining that reads like a well-told fairy-tale classic.