The Pomegranate Witch

by Denise Doyen, Eliza Wheeler (Illustrator)

Overview

When a scary old tree blooms with the most beautiful pomegranates ever seen, the neighborhood kids' mouths water with anticipation. But the tree isn't theirs—and it has a protector! So begins the Pomegranate War, a fun, rollicking, rhyming tale of a battle between the sly, plucky young rascals and their wry, witchy neighbor who may have more than one trick up her sleeve. This delectable romp from award-winning children's poet Denise Doyen and acclaimed illustrator Eliza Wheeler honors classic children's literature and revels in nostalgia for free-to-roam days full of playful invention.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452145891
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	08/01/2017
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD790L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Denise Doyen is a celebrated author of children's picture books. She lives in Pacific Palisades, California.

Eliza Wheeler is a bestselling author and illustrator of several acclaimed books for young readers, including Alison McGhee's Tell Me a Tattoo Story. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Editorial Reviews

★ 07/31/2017
Luscious rhymes and an atmospheric eeriness immerse readers in a neighborhood battle: five children versus the witch who guards the tempting pomegranates that hang from a tree on her property: “Its unpruned limbs were jungle-like, dirt ripplesnaked with roots,/ But glorious were the big, red, round, ripe pomegranate fruits.” Wielding tree branches, rakes, and badminton racquets, the children mount an assault in what is quickly dubbed the Pomegranate War, but hoses blasting water, a scattering of walnuts, and the thrashing tree itself foil their efforts. On Halloween, the witch’s sister, the Kindly Lady, invites the town’s children over for cider and celebration—but could the two women be one and the same? Working in ink and watercolor, Wheeler (Tell Me a Tattoo Story) contrasts the rich red of the pomegranates with washes of pale, sickly green, saturating the pages with a sense of otherworldly magic. And yet: Doyen (Once Upon a Twice) leaves many hints that the Pomegranate Witch is less a malevolent presence than a woman who happily plays that role in the children’s imagination-fueled games. Delicious. Ages 5–8. Agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Luscious rhymes and an atmospheric eeriness immerse readers in a neighborhood battle."- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Like a pomegranate, each page is filled with many small delights. . . and just a few mild frights."— The Booklist Reader

"The story's a treat."-Booklist

From the Publisher

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