Allen Williams

The story begins when Toad wakes up being held by two witch sisters over a cauldron. Well, that's a bummer. She escapes through a stroke of luck, and finds herself in the Witches' Kitchen - a dark, sometimes horrifying place, where nothing stays the same very long, and no one is really sure of way out. Along the way, she picks up a ragtag team including a helpful imp with iron hands, a ferocious fairy, and two travelers who stumble upon the group and decide to stick around. With her team, the Toad proceeds on a dangerous quest to find out who she is - and how she can get out of the deadly Kitchen.

What a marvelously imaginative book! Allen Williams has a vivid imagination that paints the picture of the Kitchen to perfection, until it ceases to be scenery and becomes a character unto itself. The pictures are also vivid and entertaining, dark smudge-like renderings of the weird and wicked things the Toad and her group encounter along the way.

Most impressive, however, is the pitch-perfect tone that Williams has. So many YA novels veer into the safe zone, writing a children's book that is meant to send shivers up the spine, but never feel legitimately frightened. Williams, instead, has created a genuinely creepy atmosphere, has a few plot points that were legitimately dark, and is still a very good book for young adults.

Definitely highly recommended!… (plus d'informations)

I have to say that "The Witches' Kitchen" is making itself a challenge to rate. A fantasy for Middle Graders, I would definitely suggest to kids that they check it out if they like a truly creepy fairytale. For adults though, I'd have to advise them to approach the book more hesitantly. The ideas behind "The Witches' Kitchen" are definitely creative and interesting, and the artwork is absolutely first-class, but the writing is a little uneven. In some places, for example, the tone changes abruptly, and in other places there is far too much dependence on dialog to tell the story. It almost seems like a play at times.

There's also the question of motivation. Darn if I could discern why anyone did what they did. The toad, for example, picks up friends who help her along. But there's no reason, other than to have a story, that I could see for them befriending the little heroine. I had to put on my 'this is a fairytale' mindset in order to read on with satisfaction.

That said, I would most definitely look forward to reading the next book by Mr. Williams, either in this series (yes, please we'd like another book) or elsewhere. I expect his writing skills will increase to match his artwork-- which would be phenomenal indeed.

3 to 4 stars depending on what part of the MG-to-YA-to-Adult scale you inhabit.

Pam T~
mom/blogger

Notes:
Language: mild
Violence: mild
Read-aloud: surprisingly makes a very good read-aloud. I am currently sharing the book with my 10 yo daughter.… (plus d'informations)

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

Toad wakes up to a nasty sight - two witches dangling her over a cauldron with her having no idea how she got there or even who she is.

By a stroke of luck, she manages to escape their grasp, but not their home. With an ever-changing kitchen that appears to never end, Toad will enlist the help of an Impish and a carnivorous fairy.

Things are not as they seem, however, even for Toad. With an unusual ability to pick up and start speaking any language, there appears to be a magical, special nature about her. In addition, the witches keep sending strange skeleton monsters to catch her.

Why do the witches want her back so badly? Who is Toad and why is she so special? Will she ever escape the kitchen and the witches' grasp?

The characters in this book are entertaining, memorable, and well-developed. The plot moves quickly and holds the reader's interest throughout. Those who like adventure, fantasy, magic, and mystery will enjoy reading THE WITCHES' KITCHEN.… (plus d'informations)