Maggie Sparks and the Monster Baby - Steve Smallman, Esther Hernando

Book 1 in the magical adventures of Maggie Sparks, a mischievous little witch who's learning how to tackle school, make friends and most confusing of all: understand her emotions!

Maggie Sparks does NOT want a baby brother!

Especially not one who is noisy, smelly and gets ALL the attention.

The good thing is Maggie's a witch. A super powerful, super smart, super talented witch ... who sometimes gets her spells wrong. But that won't stop her finding a way to win back her mum and dad from the evil monster baby. Especially when she's got Bat, her pet chameleon, to help.

All she needs is a little magic ...

About the Maggie Sparks series:

Step into the magical world of Maggie Sparks: the mischievous little witch who turns every day into an adventure. Join Maggie as she learns how to tackle school, make friends and most confusing of all: understand her emotions - when she's not facing dragons and meeting aliens, that is! Perfect to bridge the gap between Isadora Moon and Amelia Fang for young readers aged 5+.

My Review: A lovely story for young children and early readers. It deals with jealousy and feeling left out when a younger sibling arrives, emotions many little ones experience. The author crafted the story in such a way it has the potential to help them navigate their own emotions through Maggie's experience. I was especially glad to see that Maggie's parents are an interracial couple. Diversity in children's books is essential.

The illustrations are beautiful, consistent, and appealing not just to young readers, but to adults as well. I personally noticed some similarities with the famous Harry Potter saga mostly from the illustrations, not from the story. Overall, it would make an amazing gift for a child who is just starting to read.

Publisher: ‎ Sweet Cherry Publishing (March 15, 2022)

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1782267768

Reading age: ‎ 5 - 7 years

Review copy provided by Baker & Taylor @ Edelweiss+