Evelyn Witch Gets a Pet

A “mystery pet” provides a plucky, green-haired sorceress with an embodied experience of patience in this polished picture book. Purchasing a single white egg from the pet store, Evelyn Witch impatiently awaits the being’s emergence, but when the creature fails to materialize, the proactive protagonist springs into action (“Sniveling snails! Something had to be done!”). She treks up a snowy mountain in an attempt to transform the egg into a unicorn, then rows out to sea in the hopes of hatching a narwhal. Ferry’s wry tone makes for a lively read, and handmade textures soften Santoso’s digital renderings, which add a dollop of humor with their characterizations of the heroine’s impatience. When Evelyn discovers that giving the egg time may be more powerful than magic, the epiphany feels suitably transformational, foregrounding an approach that elevates care over force. Ages 3–6. (July)