THE HUNGRY GHOSTS

A 12-year-old orphan bravely heads off to rescue her kidnapped younger sister.

Milly is the oldest girl at St. George’s Home for Wayward Girls in West Ernost in the land of Arrett, where witches (and all magicks) have been banned for years. Despite having an inkling that she might be a witch, overly responsible Milly does her best to ignore the tingling red sparks she can conjure and instead focuses on being the best older sister and substitute mother she can be to her little foster sisters. After all, Doris Barterby, St. George’s headmistress, isn’t capable of taking care of them on her own. When 6-year-old Cilla, who discovers Milly’s secret book of witchcraft, is mistaken for a witch and kidnapped, Milly—with the help of Jasper, a snarky talking black cat who is really a wind stuck in a cat’s body—embark on a dangerous mission to rescue her. The witchy adventure is deftly narrated in the third person with original vocabulary and entertaining, comedic, and at times poignant footnotes. Milly has unruly curls and freckled brown skin; other characters are cued as racially diverse. A kind and selfless protagonist, charming sidekicks, and lyrical and evocative prose make this an ideal pick for young fantasy readers.

A delightful debut for fans of magical journeys.