Ah, home sweet home at the orphanage where Earwig has it all figured out. Her best friend, Custard, keeps her company and everyone else does her bidding. It's the perfect place to be for a little girl who was delivered to the orphanage steps years ago bearing a note, "Got the other twelve witches chasing me. I"ll be back for her when I've shook them off. It may take years. Her name is Earwig." Now today is one of those days when visitors looking through the orphanage halls in search of their perfect foster child.
Earwig knows how to defend against adoption and does her usual tricks but today is not her day. Today the very tall man with the possible horns on the top of his head and the lady in the big red hat and sky blue high-heeled boots think she's just the thing. Off goes Earwig, sensing a challenge, to their bungalow where the nine-foot tall man dismisses her and the red-hatted lady puts her to work grinding white bones into fine powder. Earwig is undaunted. Now her true task becomes discovering just how she can wield some power over this unmatched pair to keep them from being able to use magic on her.
Bring in the book of spells, the herd of blue and purple worms and a fine feline named Thomas and don't forget to watch the frogs who keep an eye on all proceedings from the bottom of each page. The story spins and rises with the introduction of each magical character, the ever-lurking possibility of a dark, magical spell and the steady hum of Earwig's spirit which believes without fail that all will come about just right just you watch. Paul Zelinsky's humorous illustrations deliver the characters in all their magical, twisted glory as always. This is a great read aloud about a spunky young lady who knows how to get what she wants no matter the odds against her. 117 pages Ages 6-9
