The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams

Debut author Hayter tells the slapstick story of fifth-grader Abbie Adams, a modern-day witch who can zap back to the Constitutional Convention for research or morph herself into a fencepost to spy on her parents. Abbie's family also has amusing magical traits: her unruly younger brother likes to turn himself into different animals; her father, who is seeking a cure for “Witch Flu,” tends to emit pink smoke from his ears; and Abbie's mother can dab a “refresher spell” on everyone when they get tired. As Abbie struggles to hide her abilities from the world, an oddly literate kitten shows up, who turns out to be a bewitched young Thomas Edison. Readers might enjoy imagining life as a witch—the family zaps to Hawaii for a day of surfing and snorkeling—but Abbie's rambling, super-peppy narration can be tiresome: “I happen to love drama club because, as I might have mentioned, my aunt Sophie is an actress and I want to be one too (when I grow up).” And there's little satisfaction when Abbie's problems can usually be solved with a quick zap. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)