Witch Twins (Turtleback)

by Adele Griffin (Author) "LUNA AND CLAIRE BUNDKIN were identical twins..." (more)
Key Phrases: Adam Chow, Jill Bundkin, Angelica Antonio (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Less weighty than some of Griffin's previous novels (The Other Shepards; Sons of Liberty), this humorous fantasy introduces two witches who are identical twins. Ten-year-old Luna and Claire (born 13 minutes apart) may look the same on the outside, but on the inside they are "as different as the sun and moon, peaches and peanut butter, or long division and poetry." Unbeknownst to their parents and brother, both of them have received special powers from a recessive gene inherited by Head Witch Arianna, their grandmother ("Grandy"). According to the "Witch Decree," they are not allowed to cast spells at home, so more often than not, they have to rely on human smarts to solve their dilemmas. For instance, the twins fear that their divorced father's engagement to a "big and loud" Texan named Fluffy could result in their father moving to Houston, so they try (and fail) to thwart the marriage plans. As might be expected, the twins resort to witchery, but the results are never quite what they plan. When their hijinks turns to disaster, they learn it is not always wise to meddle with fate. Readers may find themselves yearning for more magic and fewer moral lessons, but the book has some entertaining moments, especially when Grandy enters the scene. Ages 7-10.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Griffin's modern tale bursts with everyday enchantment. Identical 10-year-old twins Claire and Luna are witches, a secret they share with their maternal grandmother and successfully conceal from practically everyone else. Their non-magical parents are amicably divorced and everyone seems to be coping just fine, until their father announces his impending nuptials to another woman. The girls immediately fear the worst and seek their grandmother's help to destroy his relationship; failing at that, they decide to wreck his wedding instead. In the end, the girls understand that mean tricks are futile and unfulfilling and that all the magic in the world can't interfere with destiny. The young protagonists exhibit plausible speech patterns, mannerisms, and concerns. The text is light enough to attract reluctant readers. Young readers will like this story for its breezy mixture of otherworldly witchcraft and ordinary activities. Some elements invite inevitable comparisons to Harry Potter and his world; Claire and Luna exchange correspondence via e-spells instead of an avian postal service, and they travel on a train that has a secret final stop instead of a special hidden boarding platform. Children seeking a spells-and-potions read-alike, however, will hardly regard these obvious similarities as a liability.
Catherine T. Quattlebaum, De- Kalb County Public Library, Atlanta, GA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Turtleback
• Publisher: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media; 1st Scholastic Printing edition (April 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439375401
• ISBN-13: 978-0606305471
• ASIN: 0606305475
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,119,087 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A hilarious new fantasy., December 7, 2001

By	"shayamorph" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Witch Twins (Hardcover)

Claire and Loon are twins -- and witches. Their grandmother is a powerful, five-star witch -- and they don't even have one star yet! Determined to get their first star, the sisters practice more spells to help them get more powerful. But they have trouble -- their father is about to marry a dreadful woman, and her name is Fluffy. Fluffy will make their lives miserable -- and the twins have to stop her. They don't know if they can use spells powerful enough to stop their father from marrying her, and it's a big risk -- but can they take it? Witch Twins is a hilarious new fantasy by Adele Griffin. It could have used more plot and been a little longer, but if you're looking for a great witch story, this new fantasy is highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh-Out-Loud Fantasy for All Ages, January 25, 2005

By	Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Witch Twins (Paperback)

Ten-year-olds, Claire and Luna, identical twins, are almost one-star-witches. Unfortunately, they haven't quite made it yet. Hence, unlike most witches, they don't have their cats yet, and aren't permitted to do magic away from their Grandmother's - a five-star-witch - home. But that doesn't stop the two mischevious sisters from causing all sorts of trouble at home. When Claire and Luna find out that their father is marrying a woman whose name is - get this - Fluffy, the two girls believe that evil Fluffy will covince their father to move to her native Texas. So the twins decide to ruin their father's wedding, with a little help from their magic counterpart.

There are many books on the market about young witches, but none as light-hearted and hilarious as Adele Griffin's WITCH TWINS. Claire and Luna are marvelous characters, whose wacky personalities will keep middle readers laughing out loud from beginning to end. Filled with heartwarming family moments, as well as pure fun, and strange magic, WITCH TWINS is something that can't be missed.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A hilarious fantasy that's a whole lot of fun to read., June 17, 2001

By	Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Witch Twins (Hardcover)

Claire and Luna look like ordinary, ten-year-old identical twins. But they're not. The girls have inherited magic powers from their maternal grandmother, and are on their way to becoming witches. When their father announces that he's marrying his girlfriend, annoying Fluffy, the girls are devastated. They fear that Fluffy will steal their father, and possibly even persuade him to move to her home state of Texas. The desperate girls are denied help by their grandmother, who insists it's against the rules to change Destiny. Claire and Luna are on their own if they want to stop the wedding, but their plans will have unexpected and hilarious results. This was an entertaining, funny book that I reccomend to young readers who enjoy light, humorous fantasy novels.