Bewitched in Oz

Gr 5–8—Zerie, Vashiti, and Tabitha are three friends who discover they each have unique "talents." These abilities range from making people or things age to becoming invisible. They meet in the woods to practice there talents despite a ruling from Princess Ozma that magic has been outlawed. A boy named Brink witnesses the girls' secret meeting and shows them that he also has powers. All four are then discovered using magic by the winged monkeys, Princess Ozma's faithful servants. They go on the run to obtain help from Glinda the Good. Fans of Frank L. Baum's Wizard of Oz will take delight in the Winged Monkeys, Glinda the Good, and the Glass Cat, all of whom make appearances throughout the narrative. This story has some interesting twists and turns, and characters are well developed. However, the characters are 16 and have love interests, yet the language and overall theme of the story is geared much younger, which may lead to a dissatisfying experience for some. The novel ends in a shocking cliff-hanger. Only fans of the source material will flock to this title.—Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY