The Witch of Woodland

Review from my daughter Paige (13):Zipporah Chava McConnell, or Zippy, a 13-year-old girl, wants to write a memoir about her exciting adventure. Everything started changing when her best friend, Bea, tried to broaden their friend group, which Zippy didn't want. And Zippy has to prepare for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah. If that wasn't enough, Zippy finds a mysterious red book at the library. Oh, I almost forgot, she is a witch! Within the red book lies a message that summons some Jewish folktale creature, and Bam! A mysterious creature appears that Zippy calls Miriam. But Miriam needs to remember who she is and where she comes from, so it's up to Zippy to help her.What a brilliant and unique story. Each chapter starts like it's Zippy writing a book and telling us what story elements (prologue, establishing character, etc.) Zippy has to incorporate it to make a great story.I learned new things about Judaism in this book. For example, I learned about the fall holidays and the classes needed to prepare for the Bat Mitzvah. Also, I learned a bit about Jewish folktales and Zippy's witchcraft which was very cool.My second favorite part of this story, next to the plot, is the characters' development.Zippy is a shy and witchy person. She is incredible at her magic and always speaks her mind. It's already hard to be 12 years old (friendship problems, coming-of-age), and she is trying to figure out her spirituality. I bond with the character Zippy. She is a relatable heroine.Bea is your average teenager, and Miriam is a mysterious and complex character. I would have liked to know more about her.Give this book to anyone (coming-of-age) who feels like an outsider or someone looking to learn about the Jewish faith with spiced-up magical elements.Thank you, publishers, for sharing this excellent book.

This book will stay with me for a long time. The writing is excellent, and the author is very confident, experienced, and bold. This is my first contact with her work and it made me a fan of whatever she will create and is already published.It's one of the most complete and educational books with insight into Jewish culture and folklore, also Judaism showing us with subtlety great lessons of tolerance and an amazing mindset: the constant search for knowledge and answers. It doesn't force us to believe and offers us choices. The author also brings witchcraft into the mix in a very credible and complex way.The main character has her doubts and perhaps even has depression but she is so strong and angry sometimes that makes her a credible character as well that many will relate to. I love her relationship with her parents that are also feeling with her 13 years-old.Her growth in the novel and her journey become fantastic and I couldn't put it down. This is a very well-written novel constructed with care and creativity. No matter was addressed with superficiality.The end is very strong and full of truth, I loved it.Themes of: belonging to a community, where to belong? growth of social ring, identity, isolation, family, religious identity, puberty, parenting, friendship, anger, depression, seventh-grade expectations, witchcraft, magic, being an author, bar mitzvah initiation, physical identity... A book that allows us so much and gives us space for more. Congratulations.Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to give my honest opinion.