Grimelda and the Spooktacular Pet Show

by Diana Murray, Heather Ross (Illustrator)

Overview

From author Diana Murray and illustrator Heather Ross, of Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch, comes a hilarious sequel starring Grimelda that is reminiscent of Norman Bridwell’s classic The Witch Next Door. This time Grimelda is on the search for her spell book so she can win first place her local pet show.

With the right spell Grimelda knows she can make her cat Wizzlewarts spooktacular in seconds. But when her spell book goes missing in her untidy room, will Grimelda find another spooktacular pet to win the prize, or will her magic make an even larger mess?

Told in rhyming verse with charming illustrations of pet monsters and all things witchy on every page, Grimelda is perfect for Halloween but also a fun read-aloud all year round for mess-makers everywhere.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062264497
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/25/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Diana Murray is the author of several picture books, including Ned the Knitting Pirate, illustrated by Leslie Lammle, and City Shapes, illustrated by Bryan Collier. Her poems have been featured in magazines such as Highlights for Children and Spider. She lives outside New York City with her husband, two very messy children, a goldfish named Pickle, and an impressive sock collection. You can visit her online at www.dianamurray.com. Special thanks to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for the Barbara Karlin Grant.

Heather Ross is an illustrator, author, and textile designer. She is the illustrator of How to Behave at a Tea Party by Madelyn Rosenberg, as well as the Crafty Chloe books by Kelly DiPucchio. She also wrote the bestselling craft books Weekend Sewing and Heather Ross Prints. Heather's own dog, Lobo, currently holds a regional title for Smelliest Pup. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

06/26/2017
Filled with magical mishaps, this sequel to 2016’s Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch finds Murray’s untidy heroine hoping to compete in an upcoming pet show. But is her cat, Wizzlewarts, “spooktacular” enough to face up against “pets with spikes and pets with scales... frogs and hogs and haunted snails”? Grimelda doesn’t think so, so she sets off to find a properly frightening pet, only to tangle with a monster eel and realize that Wizzlewarts is pretty formidable (especially since he has claws to rival those of the X-Men’s Wolverine). Grimelda’s pet-finding mission drags on a bit too long, but Murray’s sturdy rhymes offer lots of readaloud entertainment. Readers will be tickled by the topsy-turvy details Ross brings to Grimelda’s ramshackle hometown, where witches, gnomes, dragons, and unidentifiable beings live in harmony—except for the occasional monster eel attack, of course. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Murray’s sturdy rhymes offer lots of readaloud entertainment. Readers will be tickled by the topsy-turvy details Ross brings to Grimelda’s ramshackle hometown, where witches, gnomes, dragons, and unidentifiable beings live in harmony—except for the occasional monster eel attack, of course.” — Publishers Weekly

“Ross’ digital illustrations are filled with fascinating details that will have readers poring over the pages.” — Kirkus Reviews

Praise for GRIMELDA: THE VERY MESSY WITCH: “The digital illustrations seem to revel in the mess, and there are lots of funny things for readers to spy and shake their heads over-how did that get there? Mess-makers will revel in Grimelda’s tale.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Both endearing and amusing. Playful, singsong rhymes will hold readers’ attentions while making Grimelda’s plight (having to clean her messy space) relatable. Bright, cartoonlike digital illustrations emphasize Grimelda’s haphazard life, and the circular ending will have readers giggling.” — Horn Book Magazine

“Murray packs playful comedy into her rhyming verse and Ross creates a chaotically cozy swamp dwelling for Grimelda.” — Publishers Weekly

Praise for Heather Ross’s artwork in CRAFTY CHLOE: DRESS-UP MESS-UP: “Ross’s spirited drawings, rendered in pencil and colored digitally, keep the action bouncing along.” — School Library Journal

Praise for Heather Ross’s artwork in HOW TO BEHAVE AT A TEA PARY: “Photoshop digitally composed illustrations leave plenty of white space and feature brightly colored, energetic, and engaging scenes with action galore.” — ALA Booklist

From the Publisher

Praise for Heather Ross’s artwork in HOW TO BEHAVE AT A TEA PARY: “Photoshop digitally composed illustrations leave plenty of white space and feature brightly colored, energetic, and engaging scenes with action galore.

ALA Booklist

Both endearing and amusing. Playful, singsong rhymes will hold readers’ attentions while making Grimelda’s plight (having to clean her messy space) relatable. Bright, cartoonlike digital illustrations emphasize Grimelda’s haphazard life, and the circular ending will have readers giggling.

Horn Book Magazine

2017-07-15
Grimelda, of the still-untidy room (Grimelda the Very Messy Witch, 2016), is back, this time trying to win the prize at the pet show with her cat, Wizzlewarts. But is he spooktacular enough to win? Grimelda has her doubts, especially after Hildegard rides by on Blaze, her fire-breathing dragon. A spell might do the trick, but as before, her spell book is lost in the mess. What to do? Well, find a better pet, of course. But those turn out to be in short supply at the general store, and the monster eel she finds in the swamp may be a bit too spooktacular. But back at home, Wizzlewarts can't be counted out yet. "He'd found her spell book! And what's more, / he'd flipped to page three hundred four— / The Perfect Spell to Make a Cat / Spooktacular in Seconds Flat!" At the pet show, the spell, smudged with eye-scream fudge, doesn't turn out quite as Grimelda had intended, but she and Wizzlewarts pull together for the ultimate win…and a new pet of a different sort. Ross' digital illustrations are filled with fascinating details that will have readers poring over the pages, though diversity is in short supply (Grimelda and Hildegard both appear to be white). Murray never addresses Grimelda's original lack of faith in Wizzlewarts, who surely must feel inadequate and unloved. Readers may stage their own pet shows, but here's hoping they are more affirmative of their own pets than Grimelda is. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews